Light Me Up
by LittleMissBrit
Summary: AU. Steve is immediately struck by the young agent who kicks the ass of a cocky intern then aces a mission. She's free spirited, temperamental and fun- everything he's not. Oh, and she's Phil Coulson's beloved niece. Maybe she's the perfect one to ease his troubled 21st century soul and help him move on.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMED**

**I decided to delete my old Avengers stories from years ago and rewrite from scratch. It'll follow a completely different path and will hopefully be miles better.**

**It's obviously AU, you'll see why as you read along.**

**Chapter 1**

_SHIELD BASE 603, Codename: The Bunk, NYC, 2012_

Steve did not expect to be training trainees when he'd arrived at SHIELD full time. Soon after the Battle of New York was sorted, he'd signed a contract that allowed him to be a full time worker at the shadowy organisation. There honestly wasn't much going for him otherwise, they were the only people who he could really work with. He had been a little naive in thinking they'd send him straight off on some daring mission, but it had been like the early Captain America days.

Instead, Fury had decided that Steve would be training the new recruits in combat. Steve was a natural born leader, but he'd never been a teacher like this before. Instead of daring soldiers who followed him in the fight against Nazis, he was up against recruits fresh out of college who were starry eyed at the oldest Avenger. They were nice enough, but he couldn't help noticing most of the girls trying to ask for him to spar with him one on one. Steve wasn't great when it came to girls, but he knew exactly what they were doing. They batted their eyelashes, played with their hair and put their hands on their slender hips, waiting and hoping that the handsome captain would suddenly fall in love with them.

Peggy wasn't like that.

Oh Peggy, he missed her more than anything. Her face, along with Bucky's, kept him up at night. What he didn't want was to think about her all the time, because he felt like he would break down in tears when he imagined her ruby red lips and beautiful English accent. At least training the baby agents distracted him from the woman who had slipped through his fingers. She was alive, albeit with dementia in a London care home. She'd married and had two children, had a life full of adventure. She'd been a trailblazer, a founder and later director of SHIELD. Had Steve not dive bombed into the Atlantic, he was sure that he would have at least proposed marriage to her.

At least she had made it. He'd watched Bucky fall off a train. That was the one that gave him the most nightmares and flashbacks, he woke up trembling.

He didn't want to think about them, especially right now. Steve could afford to mourn his best friend and the woman he loved when alone in his cold Manhattan apartment, but not when a bunch of early twenty-somethings were staring at him with a mix of awe and fear. Whilst Steve was only physically and mentally three years older, they felt like children to him. They had grown up learning about him in history classes and watching cartoons about him on PBS, he was fighting in a war in a generation where their grandparents were only kids. He was taller than all of them, naturally, only adding to the feeling of oldness.

They talked of bands, movies and TV shows that Steve had never heard of. Fred and Ginger were merely pop culture used in quizzes, the radio was an antiquated medium and the idea of running to a telephone box because you didn't have one at home was something extremely alien to them. These trainees did not carry the grim nature of the Great Depression on their shoulders, only a handful having been truly affected by the financial crisis only four years before.

He just couldn't relate.

"I'm just saying, I could kick anyone's ass."

Well, there were some things that hadn't changed- being a dick was still a thing. This modern day Gilmore Hodge was a guy named Conrad Bridges, a talented albeit arrogant young man. Tall, with a sort of sneering affliction upon his face, he had managed to prove himself physically powerful. He'd found himself the enemy of his group, mainly because he believed he was superior and because he constantly tried to suck up the unreceptive Steve. Steve could see Conrad's jealousy when the girls flirted with him, simply because the younger man repulsed them. Though Conrad had not been untoward, Steve would have absolutely no problem dealing with him if he harassed any of the women in his group. They deserved respect, as did everyone who had made it to the highly selective and difficult programme.

Steve groaned quietly, about to tell him to shut up when...

"How about I give it a go?"

The female agent had arrived halfway through the session, going to work out in the corner without a peep. Steve had barely acknowledged her himself, for he had no reason to. He did now, as the young woman with the workout clothes approached the group. Her eyes were directly on Conrad, with the look of being distinctly unimpressed by him.

"Excuse me?" Conrad asked.

"You heard me," she replied slowly, as if he were mentally deficient, "If you're so badass, you'll be able to give me a run for my money. Is that ok with you, Captain?"

The blond blinked in surprise at being addressed, nodding, "Not a problem, if Bridges agrees."

"I'm happy to," Conrad sauntered over to the brunette, who merely nodded.

She looked away for a single moment, allowing Conrad to think that he had her. To his utter surprise, the girl grabbed his arm without turning around. She yanked it so hard that it nearly pulled from his socket, bringing him over to her. Launching in the air, she wrapped one leg around his waist and used the other to bring him to the ground. Seated on his middle, she pulled his hands behind his back and stretched him closer to her. It must have been about ten seconds, but it was enough to completely disarm him.

"Now that is how you do it, kid," the brunette looked down at him, still gripping his arms, "I imagine you've never had a girl close to you like this, have you?"

That got a rousing laugh from the assembled trainees, even Steve had to hide his smirk.

"You can't talk to me like that," Conrad protested.

"Actually, I can, because unlike you I am not a cocky little shit, I am a fully trained and licensed federal agent. Tip for you all, you must have the goods to back it up if you're going to run your mouth. Don't be arrogant, because someone will always be there to knock you down a peg. If you learn anything, it is to define your own worth. Do not let others bring you down, you fight for yourself. Make sure you lose the arrogance though, because no one likes a big head. If that happens, like it did to little Bridges over here, you're going to look like an ass. People at SHIELD don't like people like this and they are happy to kick you from the programme if you act like it."

Steve liked this woman already.

Before the woman could finish, Agent Maria Hill arrived at the doorway. Steve had immediately liked the no-nonsense Hill, but she was still his superior and didn't give off the impression that she wanted to make friends with him.

"What is this?" the deputy asked.

"Me putting an intern in his place, Commander," the brunette smirked.

"Well that's enough. Session is over, get dressed and report to records. Rogers, Collins, you're both with me, we have a mission to debrief you on."

_A mission?_

That sparked Steve's interest. The girl, who he now knew as Collins, leapt up and dragged Conrad to his feet. Without a second look, she grabbed her kit and followed the two others out of the gym, walking out the wonderment of the trainee agents.

The three walked without a word, though Steve kept sneaking glances at Collins. She was definitely pretty, not stunning like Peggy, but pretty enough. He guessed she was mid 20s, perhaps only an agent for a few years. The words sat on his tongue, far too nervous to spill out. Collins walked along, looking straight ahead and following without question. He mostly wanted to thank her for her amazing job, but decided it could wait.

They arrived in the debriefing room, Hill heading straight to the front to stand with Fury. To Steve's delight, he noticed that Clint and Natasha were there, chatting amongst themselves. Next to them were Brock Rumlow and Jack Rollins, two of the STRIKE Team members. Steve really didn't like Rumlow, but he couldn't put his finger on why he didn't- there was just something off about him. Well, that and he was an arrogant shit.

"Agents, Captain," Fury greeted, "We have a simple distraction and detainment mission. If you'll look at the screen, you'll see Francis Overton. He lives upstate and owns an energy company called 'Power House.' This company is actually a front for illegal trading. After the Battle of New York, Overton managed to acquire several Chitauri weapons and has not handed them in to authorities. The FBI wants him in for the trading, but it is our job to get the weapons out and to have him arrested. The bureau will be transporting him as it is there jurisdiction. I need my best agents for this."

"So why am I here then?"

Steve managed a quiet chuckle as everyone turned to Agent Collins, who was sat on a filing cabinet.

"You're our honey trap, Collins," Fury told her, rolling his remaining eye, "Overton has a weakness for young brunettes, so you'll be distracting him whilst the rest of the team are in."

"Sounds like fun," she smirked.

"You and I have very different definitions of fun, Collins. Today you will be Jenny Selmy, a young woman who had just been mugged. You will go to his house and ask for help, where he will likely invite you inside. You will engage conversation and after a while, you will ask to use the phone. You will call your 'boyfriend', who is actually Captain Rogers. He will not answer unless they have found the weapons. When he calls you back, that is the signal for the FBI to burst in and arrest Overton. He will never know that SHIELD was here, as they will hand the weapons over to the FBI in a secure part of the estate. Now, here is what you are looking for."

Fury pressed a button, revealing several weapons.

"They are code marked, there are four identical ones. Before the five of you sneak in, you will disable the security remotely to allow you to enter without detection. We have acquired blue prints of the property, though we believe Overton will have somewhere secure for the weapons. You will use this device to open any locked door. Any questions?"

"What if Overton doesn't let Collins in?" Clint asked.

"Then Collins will work with the FBI to lure Overton out of the house. If that does not work, then we will have to improvise. Anything else?"

Nobody said anymore.

"You have half an hour before you go to Hangar 1 to enter the Quinjet. Rogers, take a shower before you change back into your suit. Collins, go to clothing and pick something that Overton will like. Oh, and go take a shower as well, you've been training. The rest of you can talk tactics. Now go."

They all scuttled out, the other four leaving Steve and Collins alone. It suddenly dawned on Steve that he had no idea where the showers were. That seemed to dawn on Collins, as she turned to him, nodding slightly to follow her.

Steve continued to attempt conversation, but found that it fell flat in his mouth. He was impressed with her, for she had both made him laugh and find himself in awe in only fifteen minutes of meeting her. Still, he was intimidated, as he was with all beautiful dames. Collins had the attitude that made him guess that she would not put up with any terrible conversation he may manage to squeak out.

They arrived at a corridor, with one door clearly marked 'Male Showers & Changing.' Collins turned the corridor, probably going to get some of the clothing. This left Steve to change by himself, having grabbed the suit from the briefing room.

He returned to the briefing room, awkwardly lurking as the others talked.

"Collins will meet us at the hangar, let's go," Rumlow commanded.

Steve followed the others, Natasha and Clint going onto the pilots' seats. Only a few moments later and Collins entered. Her hair was tousled freely, she wore booty hugging shorts and an off the shoulder top, showing a large amount of skin on her long, shiny legs.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"You'd convince me," Rumlow replied, his eyes lingering on her buttocks.

"Anything in a skirt would convince you, Rumlow," Collins shot back, strapping herself in, "How long is the flight?"

"Half an hour."

After they'd gotten to a safe altitude, they were put on auto pilot and Clint and Natasha headed to the back with the others.

"Cap- you've got the floor," Clint told him.

"Oh, right," Steve stood up, clearing his throat, "Well firstly, I wish to say that I'm very excited about going on this mission with SHIELD and I hope that I get to work with you all frequently. We will be dropping the Quinjet in a small forest a little outside of Overton's place. From there, we will split- Collins will take the main road to the estate whilst the rest of us will go through the forest undetected. Collins will use the buzzer and if all goes to plan, she will be let in and will distract Overton long enough. The rest of us will enter the estate through a small tunnel, the tech team have hacked the cameras so that it runs on a loop. We'll go through the back entrance to the garage; blueprints indicate storage will be in a secret basement beneath it. Collins will telephone using the agreed method; we will only call back when we have all of the weapons. That'll be the hint, that's when the FBI will swoop in for the arrest. Underneath here we have the suitcases specifically designed to carry the weapons safely, we don't want them going off."

"What happens if Overton doesn't fall for the charms?" Collins asked, raising her hand, "I mean, he will but what if he doesn't? I'm willing to kiss him but I am _not_ sleeping with him."

Steve went ruby red.

"Will you be able to improvise?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," Collins replied.

"Then we don't have a problem," Steve told her, "Are there any other questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Ok, we'll get Agents Barton and Romanoff back in the pilot seat and do the rest of the journey."

Natasha and Clint headed back to the front, the others remaining behind her. Emily lifted up her shirt and looked around.

"Yo Rumlow, come punch me in the side."

"Excuse me?" Steve put his head up.

"Well I have to look like I've been mugged, the bruise will fade in a couple of days," Collins defended, before seeing his expression, "Ugh fine, stop looking like a lost puppy, someone just hit me on the side with the suitcase so I don't look so damn fine."

Before Steve could protest, Rumlow grabbed the suitcase and swung it at Collins' side. She didn't even hiss before looking at the light bruise just above her hip.

"Great work, thanks, now for the last part."

She squeezed her eyes together tightly before tears poured down her face. Letting out a light sob, she made her face so bright red and her eyes go sore, patting them down against her hair so that her locks were damp. She then rubbed her eyes to smudge the mascara.

"Done," she smiled.

Steve and the others looked at her questioningly.

"Well I've just been mugged, excuse me for being upset."

"You can do it on command?" the blond captain asked.

"Yeah, it's really easy," she shrugged, "Let's strap in for descent."

Steve couldn't stop looking at Collins as they landed in the forest. There was something about her no nonsense attitude, the way she was so blasé about the entire mission. He couldn't lie; there was something hypnotic about her strength and attitude. It helped that she was very pretty, something that intimidated the shy captain. He found himself going to look at her long legs, forcing himself to then look away as to not be disrespectful. She, like him, was there for the mission.

"We've landed," Natasha announced.

"Everyone sync their ear pieces- do you all read me?" Steve asked.

They all nodded.

"Alright, let's get this son of a gun."

Collins headed out first, bidding them goodbye as she exited left onto the main path. After Natasha and Clint had sorted out the Quinjet, the rest followed to the right to walk through the forest. Eventually, Collins' voice crackled through the earpiece to tell them all that she had arrived at the house. Moments later, they heard the sound of her pressing the buzzer.

"Yes?" Overton's voice came through the system.

"I'm so sorry to bother you," Collins sobbed through the phone, "But I was just mugged, the guy pistol whipped me and took everything, my phone, my purse, everything in it. I'm not familiar with this place and when I saw your place, I just thought that you might be able to help me. I'm just so scared something else might happen."

There was a pause.

"Come on in dear, don't worry."

"Thank you," she sniffled.

There was a click and the gates swung open. Collins clicked to the front door, Overton opening it up. He was a tall man, a little rotund but you could tell that he had been very handsome in his youth. His face was the picture of concern, but Collins kept her face as sad as can be.

"Hello my dear, come on in," he ushered her inside the marbled doorstep, "My name is Francis Overton."

"Thank you," Collins sniffled, wiping her eyes, "My name's Jenny Selmy."

"What happened?"

"I was just out walking home from a book launch to get the shuttle when this guy jumps out of nowhere and he had this gun. See I don't carry, not when I'm out and even if I did, he had the jump on me. Told me to empty my pockets then give him my purse. I tried to beg not to, it has everything, but he just didn't care. I think he wanted drugs or something, so I handed it over because he threatened to shoot me if I didn't. Then he grabs it and runs off, I was all alone. I hope you don't mind me saying, but your home just looked so inviting. If I can just call my boyfriend a little later, that would be wonderful."

"No problem, just come inside and have a drink of water. Would you like me to call the police?" Overton offered.

"Oh no, I don't think there's much they can do," she whimpered, "They won't care about a woman getting her credit cards and $20 in cash stolen, especially since I didn't get a good look at the guy. I mean I understand they have to prioritise but this neighbourhood seems so safe. A friend of mine got mugged in upper Albany and the cops all but laughed in her face. I just don't want him to hurt someone else, what if someone has medication or something in their bag?"

"I understand, sit down," Overton handed her a glass of water, "That must have been so scary."

"The world is so scary at the moment; look at what happened in New York. Our parents lived more sheltered lives, so many bad things happen to us. Seeing that on the news, my God."

"Yes, terrible," Overton agreed.

Across the estate, the five had slipped inside under the tunnel and into the back of the house. Slipping past the pool, they arrived at the garage. They listened to Collins fake sob inside the house, Steve heavily impressed with her acting- if being an agent didn't work out, she should go on stage. Natasha used a pick to open the lock, leading the rest into the garage.

"Ok, so we need to find some kind of secret entrance," Steve told them, "Everyone spread out, careful not to touch the car, look for something out of place..."

Before he could continue, Natasha pointed to a set of stairs that she'd somehow managed to uncover in about thirty seconds.

"I always know where to look, let's get in- close it behind you."

Back inside, Collins was continuing to work the charm, though the subject of New York was hardly an appealing topic.

"Did you know anyone?" Overton asked.

"I had a couple of friends in the midst of it, but they were ok- yourself?"

"I lost my cousin."

"Oh my god, that is so tragic- were you close?"

"We were, her name was Amelia," Overton nodded sadly; "She died when a building collapsed on her when one of the alien ships crashed straight into it. It's been so hard; I have no siblings so she was the closest I had to one. Learning about it was such a tragic moment, I hadn't got hold of her but I thought that she might have been in the hospital or something, but then I got the call. So many people that day, I hear they're still finding bodies. I think about her every day."

"That is so sad, you are so brave for being so strong for her memory," Collins put a hand on his knee, scooting closer.

"You are too kind, Miss. Selmy."

"Please call me Jenny, a man so kind should have that privilege."

Downstairs, the quintet arrived at the door. With no way of guessing the pass code, Natasha placed the explosive device on the door and ushered them all back. The door blew open and they ran in. Immediately, they found the guns mounted on the wall behind some glass.

Rollins went forward, using the sticker with Overton's fingerprint (taken from the garage door) to unlock them.

"Well that was easy," Clint commented lightly as they placed the guns in the suitcases.

"Guy's an idiot, think that collecting alien guns is like collecting artwork," Rumlow rolled his eyes, "We wait for Collins to call us, let's get out of the estate and find somewhere to hide before the FBI gets in. We can't have Overton knowing we were in here."

They ascended the stairs; meanwhile, Collins was laying it on thick in the living room.

"Are you into art?" she asked, looking at the walls, decorated with portraits.

"Yes, I'm a keen collector- are you?"

"I can't say I'm too cultured in that respect, but I know what I think looks nice and what doesn't. These are so beautiful, you must really know your stuff."

"Well, I do try," Overton pretended to be bashful.

"You've been so kind to me, Mr. Overton- may I please use your phone to call Frank?"

"Of course, here you are," he handed her the landline.

"Oh, you're just such a superhero," Collins put a hand to her heart, faking awe for him, "I knew it was a risk, going into a stranger's home, but you are such a good man."

"Don't worry about thanking me darling, you call your boyfriend."

Collins nodded, dialling the fake number. Across the way, Steve was with the others in a forest clearing. His false phone started pinging, the Albany number clear as day.

"Hello?"

"Oh Frank, it's so good to speak to you," Collins started tearing up again, "Listen honey, I got mugged- they stole everything when I was leaving the book launch. They took my phone and my wallet, it was so scary. I was all alone."

"Oh honey, that is so horrible to hear," Steve smiled down the phone, even though it wasn't real.

"This nice man let me into his house, he let me call you. Will you be able to pick me up?"

"Of course, what's the address?"

"One second, I'll ask- excuse me, Mr Overton? What's the add-ʺ

Before Collins to continue, they all heard a loud bang and a shout of 'FBI- DON'T MOVE.'

Inside, Overton and Collins both jumped up, hands in the air. The phone hit the floor, immediately cutting off and letting out an eerie tone.

"Oh my god, what is this?" Collins yelled, fake terrified, "Mr. Overton?"

"On the ground, both of you," one agent yelled, "That means you, lady."

"But I don't know him," she protested, "I just met him, I got mugged..."

"Quiet," the agent barked, "Frisk them both, then take the girl to another room."

One agent pulled Collins up, leading her to another room. As she was taken away, she heard one of the agents read Overton his Miranda rights. When they were out of earshot, she was released and immediately burst out laughing.

"Nice job, Agent Collins."

"Thanks, you guys too- couldn't have done it without you."

Once they were satisfied that Overton had been taken away, Collins was allowed to leave. Whistling to herself, she walked back up the path towards the forest. The others were nestled inside the Quinjet, looking over the weapons.

"You guys got them quickly," she commented lightly, "God, they're tiny, all that damage from such a small weapon."

"Yeah," Steve agreed, "Good job everyone, let's get back to base."

Natasha and Clint went back to the front, the other four belting in to the back. Steve's eyes slowly went towards Collins' legs, helped out by the heels that she was wearing. Collins noticed that and looked up, smirking at the sight of the now pink Steve. He looked away quickly, hearing the slight giggle that was emitted from her mouth.

He was silent for the rest of the ride, unable to bring himself to make conversation with the brunette next to him. It sounded stupid, but he felt something in his stomach when he looked at her.

Maybe he would pluck up the courage.

**Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Next Time: Steve meets a fellow veteran named Sam, as well as having his first real conversation with the attractive Agent Collins.**

**Thanks for reading, don't forget to review please and I'll see you next time xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Thank you for your response so far, reviews would be very much appreciated even if it's just a few words! I am glad that you are all enjoying the story thus far xxx**

**Chapter 2**

Central Park was one of the easiest routes for Steve to run down in the mornings. He'd lapped the entire park (which was huge) several times, passing another guy who was slowly jogging his way through. Steve had politely yelled out 'on your left' to the man in order to make sure they didn't run to one another and get squished like a bug, to the point where he'd said it so many times that he felt that they were both getting tired.

Eventually he noticed the man resting under the shade of a tree. Deciding to be polite, he walked over.

"You need some help there?"

The African-American gentleman looked up with a gentle smirk, "Perhaps a lung transplant, a fresh heart and a hip operation. Dude, you've run the entire length of the park in like fifteen minutes- I can barely do it at all. Are you a robot? Is the Terminator real?"

Steve had no idea what or who the Terminator was, but guessed he was some kind of robot.

"No, I'm just quick- you military?" he asked, pointing to the dog tags around the man's neck.

"Ex, I got an honourable discharge early last year, I run a PTSD programme with the Veterans' Affairs nowadays, formerly 58th rescue squadron" he told him, "What about you- still serving or are you a veteran?"

"Veteran I guess."

"Ah, who-holy shit, are you who I think you are?"

_Busted._

Steve was lucky as he had been able to go incognito, no one recognised him without the suit. He'd had a few looks before, but those people merely shook their heads and took it as déjà vu. It was better than what Tony had; then again he was very open about who he was. Steve would hate to be recognised, he was such a private person and he could put other people in danger. From what he'd heard from a few ex-military folks at SHIELD, he was constantly brought up in the army in a way that would make his face most recognisable. Steve looked at this guy and he instantly knew that.

"I am."

"Well no wonder you ran around like road runner," the guy laughed, "Here I was, being made look bad by Captain America himself. Nice to meet you man, I'm Sam Wilson."

"Steve Rogers," Steve clasped his hand in a handshake and helped bring Sam up, "Good to meet another guy who's been in the game, been a little out of it myself."

Steve chuckled, "How's civilian life treating you?"

"Sometimes I wake up and wonder where I am," Sam shrugged, "I'm in this comfy bed, wondering why I'm not on the dirty Afghan desert sleeping on something as hard as rocks. I open my fridge to see all the good food in there and wonder why I'm not being given tasteless rations in a canteen by a guy who looks more miserable than the medics after an amputation. I can be walking down the street and immediately think a car backfiring is a weapon. Nowadays I don't need permission to go the bathroom, go to bed or have a break; I can be my own man. Frankly, I'm not used to being my own man. It's the bed bit that's the worst, I feel like I'm about to..."

"...Sink right through the sheets," Steve finished, "I know the feeling. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only person in the world who knows that."

"Believe me, you're not the only one who thinks they're alone. I was like that last year."

"Did you lose someone?" Steve gently asked. He knew the look in Sam's eyes, simply because he had that look in his own eyes when he'd lost Bucky. He'd seen it in the mirror, the emptiness.

"My wingman, Riley. Simple rescue mission that we'd done a thousand times before, except some asshole on the ground used an RPG to know Riley right out of the sky. I just sat there in altitude, watching as though time stood still- I couldn't do a thing but watch. He was dead as soon as he hit the ground, no man can survive that. It was a fireball; he was half burnt when they dragged the body out. Riley was my best friend and wingman, I took it pretty hard. A few months after and I told my commanding officer I was out of it. I was better than most, but still. It helps, working for the VA, I can help others. God, I've heard some crap. People that think a can in the road is an IED, folks getting stopped by the police because they think they're drunk and the ones who sob on the 4th of July when the fireworks hit."

Steve was stunned into silence.

"If you ever wanna come, I'm sure the guys and gals would love seeing Captain America."

"I'd love to," Steve told him honestly, "If you give me an address."

"Sure," Sam slipped a business card out of his pocket, "Address is on here, the cute receptionist will tell you if I'm in- you can put in a good word with her if you like, but don't upstage me. Then again, maybe skip the receptionist; I'm sure a big ol stud like you might be more of a pull."

The blond chuckled.

"I'll put in a good word, don't you worry," Steve told him, putting the card in his pocket; "Maybe we can get a beer or something?"

"You get me in with that receptionist and I will buy you every beer until we're old and grey."

"I'll hold you to that," Steve pointed, "I gotta head back to my apartment to get changed before work. I'll swing by some point this week."

"Awesome- you gonna run home? Wait a second, let me blink and you'll be gone."

Sam blinked dramatically, looking mock disappointed when Steve was still standing there with a large grin on his face.

"Goodbye Sam."

"Captain," Sam did a mock salute, causing Steve to laugh. The blond then turned away and jogged home, changing out of his things, showering and grabbing a croissant for the ride to SHIELD.

The skies were still clear and the weather warm as he passed through the security gate. It was strange, having a SHIELD base right in the middle of Manhattan, jammed right in the middle of the other offices. He supposed it made it inconspicuous, though having a Quinjet bay there was also a very strange thing- thank God for cloaking abilities. Riding into a parking space, he then followed into the security that went between the parking lot and main building. Taking his jacket off for security, he then held it over his arm and whistled as he went to find a work station.

He was writing up his report for the mission, something he was dreading. Though writing on a computer was simple enough, he still wasn't used to all of this technology. Logging into his SHIELD account required three passwords, a scanner and a virus check- and that was just for when they were logging in on base, it was even harder to get on off of SHIELD areas. Steve was lucky he had an endemic memory, but it was just very difficult to wrap his head around computers.

Finally finding one of the computer labs, he sat down and began the login process. Today would just be a long day of writing; he had never been the type to just write long reports all day. He needed a physical copy to hand in to records as well as a digital one to upload to the system. It paid to be thorough, he guessed.

"Good morning captain."

The smell of a flowery perfume came through the air, Agent Collins walking past him and over to the next desk. Sunshine seemed to follow her as she smiled cheerily, dropping her things down and tapping on the keyboard.

"Good morning Agent Collins," he smiled back, secretly pleased to see the dynamic brunette agent again. In all honesty, he hadn't stopped thinking about her ever since she had kicked the ass of Conrad Bridges in the gym. The way she'd made Overton putty in her hands was also incredible; even he was taken by the performance with the full knowledge of the lies she was spilling. He also had to admit she was attractive; he'd tried to be a gentleman but had been unable to keep his eyes away from her long legs. Seeing her settle on the desk next to him made his heart skip a beat, though he knew he was fully unable to hold a full conversation with a woman. It had been easier with Steve, like when he spoke to Peggy and Natasha, but there was just something about Collins that made him feel nervous.

"You stuck writing reports as well?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," he chuckled, "I'm still getting my head around computers."

"I'm sure they won't be too difficult for Captain America," Collins teased.

"I'd hope not, ma'am."

"Please don't call me ma'am; you make me sound like I'm my mother."

"Sorry, I mean Agent Collins."

"Emily is fine," she laughed.

"Yes ma'am...I mean Agent...I mean Emily."

He went red as she laughed sweetly at him.

They worked in silence for a while, Steve desperate to make conversation with her. He looked up every so often to see her typing away, totally engrossed in her report. In contrast to his slow typing, her fingers tapped along the keys speedily. How could be talk to her? Maybe he could bring up a part of the mission to see if she remembered it, but even then he could imagine tripping over his words. There was the weather, which was beautiful, that was an easy thing to comment on.

"You want a granola bar?"

He looked up, "Excuse me?"

"A granola bar," she repeated, holding one out, "They're boring but they're healthy. I must have packed two today by accident, you want the spare?"

"Yeah sure, thanks."

Emily rolled over in her chair, handing it to him before wheeling back to her desk.

"I have to say you were really, um, impressive in the mission yesterday. You really did well on Overton, you really charmed him- I was impressed, the way you turned on the waterworks as well was incredible. You're a really great actress; you should consider a career on stage if your law enforcement work ever goes down the pan."

Emily laughed again, "You're very sweet, thank you. I actually did theatre in high school sometimes. You were excellent as well; I can see why you inspire so much loyalty. How did you find it? It was your first mission at SHIELD, right?"

"I think it went alright, thank you. I was glad to finally get back into it."

"How have you found SHIELD so far?"

"Well, it's something I have to adjust to, like everything else in the world. People are nice and respectful, I can't really complain about conduct and they've actually gone out of their way to help me out. I mean, I got an apartment from them and considering how much rent is in New York, I'd say that's pretty cool. Still, I just can't shake something; it feels so...isolated here."

"It can be like that," Emily smiled sadly, "But I love it here. I get what you mean about the isolation, it's not a close knit workplace by any stretch of the imagination. You get along with your colleagues, but work nights out are not a thing here at SHIELD; you're in the wrong place for that. I've been super lucky though, I met two great people in training and they're now some of my best friends in the world- we actually went on vacation together last year. You'll find that people may be a bit shy around you, but that's not personal, it's because you're Captain America and they are gonna see you that way, as the hero from their history books. Still, this is a place where loyalty runs deep. You can absolutely despise a colleague, but when it comes down to it they will have your back no matter what and would run back into a burning building for you. I get on with most people, wouldn't call them friends, but I have a huge amount of respect for them. Fury scares the shit out of me on a good day, but I admire him a hell of a lot. Job security isn't great because it's easy to make a mistake or just plain old die in the field, but I can't complain- good money, health insurance covers anything, good sick days and vacations as well as a great pension when I retire. Just start to talk to people like you would a friend and you might find someone like I did."

"I'll keep that in mind. How long have you worked here?"

"Just over a year, make it a year and a half if you add training. I joined straight outta college. Those trainees make me feel old and I was in the last batch of them," she giggled.

"Well I have to say, you telling that Bridges kid how it worked really made my day. I hate people like that, arrogant people, and you knowing him down on his behind really made me smile. You were pretty great in there; I think you taught me a valuable lesson. I've been thinking about it since it happened, a couple of people looked at me funny in the elevator earlier because I had this giant grin on my face at the thought of it."

"A girl has gotta stand her ground," she shrugged, "It reminded me of something someone said to me during my training and I just decided to show the trainees that being a presumptive piece of shit will not do you any good."

"Oh, what was that?"

"Well," Emily leaned back, twirling her granola bar and grinning in memory, "It was my first day at SHIELD when we were meeting everyone and going through basic training. We all went round saying how we found out about SHIELD- whether we were recruited, heard about it somewhere else or so on and so forth. This guy, his name was Keith Ellery, started spouting shit that I was here only because my uncle is a big deal at SHIELD. Now, SHIELD isn't a place where nepotism works, that's just for the Kennedys. So I'm like 'dude, what's your deal?' Ellery continues and this is where I get pissed, which to be fair is easy for me because I have a bad temper. Then I say: 'look, we can settle this here and now.' The handlers are chill about it, I think they secretly wanted me to see it, so they said yeah, go spar. We get up and as soon as we're started, I have him on a headlock on the ground, whimpering in pain. Bastard never says a word to me again and flunks out of the programme. From that day on, people knew that I was here on my own merit. I didn't get by on my uncle or anything else; I worked damn hard for this ever since I was ten years old. Meritocracy is my favourite thing- working hard to get somewhere is all you need, that is something instilled in me by my family and it is something I lived by. So yeah, if you're gonna shoot you mouth off, you gotta back it up."

She smirked, sipping her coffee.

"Well I suppose that's always the way to prove yourself," Steve also grinned. He was reminded of Peggy on the first day that they met, when she punched out Hodge for being an ass about her gender. Back then, women really had to fight for their worth and whilst it seemed women had made leaps and bounds, he imagined many people still had to fight for themselves- not just ladies.

He this Emily, she seemed awesome.

"Do I know your uncle?" he ventured.

"Yeah, Phil Coulson."

When Steve had arrived back at SHIELD, he had been greeted by a very alive Agent Coulson. He wasn't sure what had gone on, and frankly he wasn't sure if Coulson knew either, but he was very glad to see the smiling older agent back in the field. They'd met several times since, with Coulson still starry eyed at meeting his lifelong hero. He wondered if he still wanted to sign those trading cards, though Steve also imagined Coulson probably had a lot more memorabilia than that.

"He's a great man," Steve agreed.

"Oh God, he's the best. We've been close ever since he held me as a baby. Obviously he wasn't always around because he lived away and was travelling a lot, but he came several times every year and it was the best. When I was younger, I used to cry so much when he left because I wanted him to stay forever. After one of his visits when I was ten, I decided that I wanted to be a SHIELD agent just like him. Everyone thought that it would pass, but it never did. I helped at the local police station as part of my work experience days as well as working hard on my defence skills. Obviously I had a backup plan so I studied neuroscience with a minor in psych, with an aim to be a scientist if I wasn't accepted to SHIELD- though I would have applied to the CIA and whatnot as well. It's so great working with him, I actually lived with him for a while when I arrived in the city, I had to sort out a place to live."

He liked Emily, but he also could not keep up with her motor mouth and willingness to share her life story.

"I was glad, albeit shocked; when I found out he was live."

"They didn't tell me he was dead, I only found out later that he'd had to fake his death. It's a good job they didn't because I would have had a breakdown in the middle of base."

Suddenly, Steve remembered what Sam had said to him earlier.

"Say Emily, what's The Terminator?"

"A cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill the woman whose baby is the saviour of humanity. Why do you ask?"

"Someone referenced it earlier and I had no clue what it was."

"How far does your knowledge about films go exactly?"

"Well, I know all the Fred and Ginger movies if that helps," Steve replied hopefully, though his face did deflate at Emily's clearly 'no it doesn't' expression, "Ok, so maybe it doesn't go too far- there are a lot of movies to catch up on. I just don't want to miss out on pop culture references and make people think I'm an idiot."

"Well you're luckier than most?"

"Why is that exactly?"

"For starters you have me," Emily stood, walking up to his desk and sitting on it, "When I'm not fake crying to get the guard down of a con businessman, I do several things, one of which is watching movies. I am better than anyone in New York when it comes to this; I have seen every film from every country from every year since you were in your diapers. Basically, I am like your movie guru. Thanks to me, you will see every movie that you need to see in order to catch up on the modern world. Viewing order, everything. I'm a generous soul so you can use my Netflix account and I have hundreds of DVDs so you can borrow them all. Ooh you've got me all excited now, I'm going to be sat up all evening after work writing it up, this is going to be so fun."

"Oh, I don't want to be an inconvenience ma'am."

"First off," Emily put a finger up, "It's Emily, not ma'am. Second of all, you're not an inconvenience- it's unfair to say that, I want to help you. Thirdly, I love movies and I love sharing them as well. You need to assimilate, not only will you understand pop culture, you can get a feel of society."

"Thank you, that would be nice," Steve smiled, "I think that would help."

"I can't wait, I'm already having ideas whizzing through my mind," she mimed, throwing her hands around to the point where she knocked Steve's phone off the table, "Oh crap, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I've got it," Steve bent down to get it, moving around under the desk to get it.

As he did, Emily took a peak of his behind. Twiddling the pen, she admired his ass as it moved around with his movements. Damn, how unfair was it to have a guy as good looking at this at work, it was just amazing. He had a great ass, muscles and an Adonis like face. He must have something wrong with him; no man could be insanely good looking, athletic, brave and kind. Maybe he was rude to servers or ate with his mouth open- no, Steve would be the perfect customer.

_Now that is a damn fine ass, no wonder his suit is skin tight- this is a goddamn service to America. That is America's ass._

Steve went back upwards, Emily snapping her head up so fast that her neck twitched and her body nearly fell off the desk. Luckily, the Captain saw this and grabbed her waist. She tumbled closer, her body crashing against his rock hard chest (well, that wasn't so bad).

"Sorry," Steve immediately apologised, releasing Emily.

"It's no problem," she smiled, "Thanks; I nearly fell on my ass."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?"

"No we cannot," she replied, going back to her desk.

_Continue the conversation Steve, you look awkward as hell._

"So, erm how's the report?" he asked.

"It's getting there, wasn't a long assignment so I think I'm ok," Emily replied over her typing, "It's usually the foreign missions that take forever to report but I'm usually kept in the US. You?"

"I'll be glad when it's over."

"Trust me, there's more to come," Emily cheerfully warned, "Which part of New York are you in?"

"SoHo, yourself?"

"Lovely Chelsea, my apartment isn't huge but I'm not rich enough to afford anything good on New York rent. Harlem is a lot cheaper, but it's, well, it's Harlem. My mom tried everything to persuade me not to move to the city, she thought that I would get mugged in my first week. Every big city has its problems, but she genuinely was terrified. 'Come back to the suburbs' she said, as if SHIELD operates from a middle class cul-de-sac."

"You from upstate?"

"Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, moved up north for college then onto NYC. I'd ask you for your life history, but I'm pretty sure I learnt your biography off by heart in ninth grade so it would just be telling me what I already know. I do have one question though."

"Go ahead," Steve was really interested to see how this turned out.

"Is your birthday _really _4th July or is that for propaganda? See I imagine back then birth certificates could be hidden easier or lied about, so I was thinking maybe you were born in like October or something and the US army was like 'hey, we could pretend this guy was actually born on Independence Day cause that's totally awesome propaganda.' It doesn't harm anyone, raises spirit and creates a character myth that encourages people to buy war bonds. See, I think that's hilarious, you having secret birthday parties in the middle of winter, getting a little cake with a candle in, then spending 4th July pretending to be the birthday boy."

Steve burst out laughing, causing the attention of everyone else in the room.

"Yes, I swear it; I'm a real independence baby all the way."

"Ok, just making sure," Emily looked at the time, "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling that it's lunchtime- and it's tater tot day. You wanna join me?"

"Yes, I'd love to," Steve stated, standing up way faster than was necessary. Emily raised an eyebrow at him but said no more as they headed off to lunch.

Lunch was fun, Emily filling Steve with animated tales of her life. They then returned to do their reports, both managing to file their reports in time. Emily was kind enough to lean over Steve to help him send it online and took him to the reports room to make sure it was properly filed. She didn't stop talking the entire day, but Steve appreciated her kindness and taking an interest him. He had to admit, his stomach turned at the thought of her.

Both eventually left at the same time, heading to the parking lot together.

"Phone," Emily held a hand out as they stopped in front of her car.

"Excuse me?" Steve asked.

"So I can put my number in, doofus. Tomorrow, I will bring you Emily Collins' Intensive Guide to the Movies You've Missed. Oh, and I'll sort my Netflix out so that you can watch stuff on it."

Steve handed her his phone, Emily speedily typing in her number. She rang her own phone, and then saved Steve's number.

"Cool, sorted. Well, I am going to go home and cook the vegetable tagine I have been looking forward to. I'll bring some leftovers for you, my cooking and baking is beyond amazing. Once I've ensnared you with my food, you'll be after me forever. They say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. See ya Steve."

She winked at him, going to her car.

Steve could only watch as Emily reversed, waving at him as she sped out of the parking lot. He found himself staring long after she had left, only moving when another vehicle beeped him to get out of the way.

She was the total opposite of him- vivacious, chatty and spirited. Yet, she had immediately been kind to him, helped with pop culture and offered to bring him food. Plus, she was very pretty and clearly very capable.

Heading onto his bike, he drove home; finding that the promise of both Emily's cooking and companionship were very enticing indeed.

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed it! It'll start fluffy but we'll get to the darker sides later as Steve struggles with his inner demons.**

**Next Time: Steve wakes up from a nightmare before seeking kinship from Sam and the other veterans.**

**Thanks again, I hope to see you all next time xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support thus far, I hope you enjoy it! Excited to be re-writing it xxx**

**Chapter 3**

_I gotta put her in the water._

_Not a perfect soldier, but a good man._

_20:00 on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?_

_I'm with you til the end of the line pal._

_You've been asleep Cap, for almost seventy years._

Steve awoke with a start. Flat on the bed, he blinked until he was fully awake. Sunlight streamed into the small bedroom, though mainly blocked by the thick curtains. Rolling over, he looked at the clock before sighing at himself. His blanket was across the bed, only the tiniest portion touching his thigh. Steve, a man so defined by the military and cramped spaces, slept on his back with his arms rigid by his side. There was no comfort in slumber- his apartment was cold and not very homelike and he was still plagued by nightmares.

Generally, the softness of the bed disturbed him. Every time he lay on his mattress, he felt as though he should sink right into the middle of it. In Brooklyn, he had been the poor boy on the crummy mattress because everything went towards his medical care. In the army, it was in cramped barracks, European forest floors and second hand sleeping beds. Waking up on a warm, comfortable bed was alien to him, as well as the soft sheets surrounding him. There had been times, especially earlier on, where he would set up shop on his living room floor for the night. He'd forced himself out of that habit though, because he knew he couldn't live in the past.

There was something about the bed that felt empty. He'd slept alone his entire life, apart from when his mother cuddled him in his illness or when he shared a blanket with Bucky as a child. Steve didn't know anything but a lonely bed, but this time he felt that he really was alone.

Maybe if he'd stayed back, he would have shared a bed with Peggy.

Getting up, he peeked out of his bedroom window at the busy streets. It was a day off for him, but he planned to spend it productively. He needed friends, he knew that.

Steve was not a person who knew how to make friends easily. As a child, his only friend was Bucky. Every other kid on the playground or in high school had bullied him mercilessly- no person in New York had been beaten up more than Steve Rogers. He thought he'd be able to find friends in the workforce, but was shocked to find that adults were less mature than teenagers. They ribbed him, pushed him and laughed as he felt into a coughing fit. In the military, they all thought he was a joke and it wasn't until he saved three hundred men that he was a hero- a hero, but not a friend. The Howling Commandos were the only ones who treated him like a pal. Once Bucky was gone though, he felt at a loss.

Now they were either all gone or well into their 90s.

He'd liked Sam Wilson from the moment he playfully pissed him off in the park. This was a guy who knew what it was like to fight for your country, but lose someone who was the most important to you. That's what Steve needed, someone he could actually discuss things with. When they went off topic, Steve guessed that they could at least talk about sports and stuff- well, the things he caught up. His beloved Brooklyn Dodgers had moved to Los Angeles, so he now supported Yankees. He still needed to catch up with football, with basketball being something he'd never been interested in.

At least the Giants were still a team.

Sam also wanted Steve to meet his fellow vets, which the blond badly wanted to do. He wanted to comfort his fellow warriors, the ones terrified of fireworks and of bottles in the road. Maybe, just maybe, he'd find some real friends.

There was also Emily Collins. True to her word, she'd brought in food. It wasn't, however, just the vegetable tagine. In a large bag with several boxes, she'd got leftover food galore- leftover spaghetti Bolognese, spiced fishcakes, tomato risotto and meat and potato pie. She'd also pulled out freshly baked almond slice- 'I would have made my famous lemon drizzle, but I didn't have all the ingredients.' On top of that was a beautifully written list of every movie that Steve had to watch, in order with connotations. He was touched by her kindness, especially considering that he would be eating properly for a few days without microwavable meals. If he could hire her as a personal chef, then he would.

Also, that girl could work a kitchen. She was also extremely charming and very pretty, but that was a different kettle of fish.

Emily Collins, the only one that had really gotten through to him.

He flicked through the TV as he ate. One thing Steve couldn't have gotten his head around was how many channels there were, there was literally everything one could want but he still thought that the content was pretty dire. He flipped through- telemarketing of some crappy jewellery; a report on kids using dance to promote environmental; women around a table screaming about someone screwing someone's husband; a documentary about a woman addicted to eating latex gloves and a reality star getting a breast implant consultation.

Even the news was terrible- one news show screamed that Republicans were going to kill babies whilst another yelled that Democrats would bring us to the level of a third world country with food shortages. It was all biased; he just wanted an impartial view on what Congress was doing, layoffs in a steel plant and peace talks with Iran. Why was everything so angry these days?

Switching it off, he decided to head to the VA meeting that Sam had invited him to.

He weaved through the traffic, avoiding the yellow taxi drivers who seemed to yell at every road user in their way. That hadn't changed, angry drivers, but there were way more than there had been in his day. Back then, only the rich had cars but now everyone had them. It wasn't the same in cities, considering how unfriendly they were to cars, but it still really blew his mind.

Arriving in the car park, he made sure to check his nerves. Steve wanted to make a good first impression, be kind and to make sure he was friendly to all.

Still nervous, he walked inside.

At the sight of him, the receptionist sat straight up and let out a smile that suggested that she really liked this new client. Steve remembered that Sam had a crush on the receptionist, the redhead, which she seemed to be. The term 'wingman' had been introduced to him, which he guessed that he was being.

Steve couldn't talk to pretty dames for the life of him, but at least he could talk about Sam.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm looking for Sam Wilson's morning PTSD counselling session."

"I think that you might be a little late sir, it isn't too far from over."

"That's alright; I'm just here to see him. He's a great man, you know."

"He's always nice," the receptionist agreed.

"Oh he is," Steve agreed, "He goes above and beyond to protect veterans. I'm ex military, you see, and I don't think I've ever met anyone so passionate about helping out wounded warriors. Also."

He leaned in.

"He'd kill me for telling you this, but he's real soppy with the ladies. You think a guy as confident as Sam would be a smooth talker, but he gets so nervous around women because he's scared about being disrespectful to them. His momma raised him to be good with women; I think it's so great to meet a man like that. I gotta say, I wish that I had a way with ladies like he does, they're always so impressed. I'm so lucky to have Sam as a pal; he's really taught me what it means to be good to our friends in arms."

"Oh, I do love a man who respects women like that," the redhead agreed, "Do you know if he's single?"

"As far as I'm aware ma'am, he isn't seeing anybody. I'd like to think he tell me if he was with a girl."

"Maybe I should speak to him."

"I'm sure he'd love that," Steve agreed, "Sorry, what was your name?"

"Cara."

"I'm Steve- I'll be sure to point him in your direction."

"Great," Cara grinned.

"Where was Sam's room?"

"Oh right, sorry. If you go right down the hall past the double doors, you'll see a canvass of creative stuff from our art therapy group. Just to the left is Counselling Room 4, that's where he is. It'll finish on the hour, he'll be available then."

"Alright, thank you ma'am."

"Have a good one."

Steve headed down the direction Cara pointed. When he arrived at the board, he placed his hands in his pockets and looked at the artwork. Some of it was beautiful, but then he noticed something- the skulls and the faces with tears pouring down their eyes. They were only minimal, drowned out by the sunshine and flowers on the canvass, but he could still see that someone was unable to create any joy.

This wasn't a thing in his day. He'd seen soldiers beg on the street with the people who had sent them to war ignoring them. They were placed in mental asylum and treated like hysterics, laughed at and called cowards. Steve had seen them during his time on the front, men broken down to mere shells of themselves, absolutely terrified of explosions. He'd see their empty eyes as they were evacuated to a field hospital.

After looking around for a while, he walked up to the room. Leaning against the door frame with his arms folded, he watched. Sam sat amongst a circle of others, mainly men but with a few women among them. One of the female veterans was talking.

"...I got stopped the other day by the police. They thought I was drunk because I was driving so erratically, had to get out and do the whole walk in one line, finger on my nose and legs up, all that jazz. Did a breathalyzer, they asked if I had any drugs on my person. Asked if I had a weapon or anything else in the car. You know why I drove badly? I saw a can in the road and thought it was a freaking IED. I was lucky; they were cool about it- just told me to be careful and also ensure that I got some rest at home."

"Thanks Alyssa," Sam smiled, "It can always be a real challenge when driving. The police are doing their jobs- we all know drunk drivers are a massive danger; a cousin of my high school friend got hit by a jackass three times over the limit. Still, going through that can be upsetting, humiliating and can also trigger mental health attacks. We fortunately live in a world where people are more understanding of what we go through, but there will also be a minority group of cops that aren't cool about it. If you really feel you are dangerous, you can choose to stop driving but you shouldn't have to surrender your livelihood to your health. Has anyone else got any stories before we finish."

A Hispanic man raised his hand.

"You have the floor Eduardo."

"I was walking down a rough neighbourhood the other day and I hear a gun go off. I'm frozen to the spot; I literally cannot move- rooted to the sidewalk. People are walking past me looking at me like I'm insane, figure the only reason I don't get jumped is because I'm a big guy and they might think I'm packing heat. Took me ten minutes to get my ass out of there, people were staring at me. That's one of the worst things- what other people think."

There was a murmur of agreement from those in attendance.

"Eduardo brings us brilliantly to the end- we'll be discussing the impact of PTSD on socialising and the reaction of other people at next session. Great job as always team, big round of applause for everybody."

They all clapped.

"Great, I'll see you all next week."

Everyone headed off, Sam going over to pour himself a glass of water. That's when Steve approached.

"You did a great job back there."

Sam looked up, "Thanks man, good to see you. How long were you standing there for?"

"Just the last couple of minutes, thought that I should come by."

"I have some sandwiches in my bag, wanna share?"

Steve nodded, the pair going across the room to eat. The blond was handed several tuna sandwiches, which he eagerly bit into.

"So what kind of services do you offer here?"

"We do a lot- on the counselling side; we do it for PTSD as well as other mental disorders like anxiety and depression, super common. We have creative therapies with art and music, stuff for older veterans who were in Vietnam and the first Gulf War and anger management. There's stuff for sexual assault survivors, we have specialists and do it by the gender of the person most of the time. Obviously there is other stuff like employment help and getting back into civilian life, but that's outside of my area of expertise. I often go to the social events, try to welcome the new people into the fold."

"How did you get into it?"

"I'm a counselling major, graduated from Pace - I wanted to join the Air Force straight away but my momma wouldn't let me, encouraged me to have a back up. They paid for my college, God bless them, and then I did my obligated five years and then some. Did a few refresher courses and the VA gave me a job."

"You gotta save the world somehow."

"Hey buddy, I'm no Captain America. You fight terrorists and jump outta planes; no way I can beat that. Dude, you punched Nazis in the face- that's cool."

"We all help the world in our own ways- you help those scarred after serving their country, I say that's one of the best things you can do. My entire life, my mom said that doing the right thing was always important, even if it wasn't easy. We weren't rich, but when my mom wasn't working to buy me medicine, she was helping our neighbours. Guy next door hated Catholics, a lot of people did back then. He was a shipyard worker and often got injured; my mom would always help him. He'd spew the usual prejudice but she just bandaged him up. As a nurse and a human being, she said it was her job to help everyone regardless. A nurse may not be as glamorous as a soldier or fire-fighter, but it's still a badass profession. I don't think it matters what you do in life, you gotta be an asset to others."

"You have a way with words, Rogers, "Sam teased, "Your mom was right. Air Force always called me, I saw them in TV programmes as a kid and just thought that it looked great. I love my country and I wanted to protect it. I couldn't cope without Riley but I knew I would make a difference in the VA. Can't say I can imagine getting back in the game."

"But you want to?" Steve asked.

"I miss it, I think it's hard to go out. Civilian life though, I'm warming to it. What about you? Can you see yourself out of the game?"

"Before the ice, I thought I'd finish the war, marry and start a family. I can't see that these days, I don't do well without something to fight for. Before the military, I fought illness, bullying and poverty. Now I have perfect health and am given an opportunity to fight, but I can't seem to want what I used to have. A different man came out of the ice that day."

"So no chicks to tempt you?"

"I didn't say I was gonna be alone forever, but relationships aren't my focus."

"No offence Cap, but I think you need someone. Being alone isn't always healthy- you don't need a gal, but someone to come home to might be a good idea."

"I don't think that's right for me."

"Suit yourself, but I think it's worth a go," Sam shrugged, "You met any nice girls?"

_Yes._

"No," Steve lied.

"Apart from that, what else makes you happy?"

"I haven't quite figured out where I fit in yet."

"Well I know something- Marvin Gaye, Trouble Man album 1972- one of the greats. Believe me, that'll make you happy."

Steve laughed, taking out his pocket notebook, "I'll add it on the list."

"Well I've gone my Good Samaritan deed for the day," Sam joked, "Listen, I gotta prepare for my next session. We often do beer nights at bars around the city, it's on our social schedule part of the website- I assume you can use the internet. Not too much trouble for you?"

"Ha ha," Steve laughed sarcastically, "I can, hope to see you soon."

"Until then, God Bless America," Sam saluted.

Steve chuckled, leaving the room. Cara waved at him from her desk.

Back outside, he decided upon a walk around the area.

He loved it, this feeling of freedom as he walked through the streets. It was one of the favourite things he'd left behind from his childhood, the inability to do sports. Like most children, Steve just wanted to get up and run about but being bedridden, often in hospital and always sick with asthma. In Physical Education, Steve had been exempted from it due to his ailments and had to just sit and watch as his classmates enjoyed their physical activities. What were often worse were the taunts, which had always come from his more athletically inclined classmates

On one side, the nuns at Saint Agnes Orphanage were collecting donations. Unable to forget the Catholic upbringing he had, he crossed the street to give some spare change.

Though Steve was still a Christian man, he'd found that religious life was different nowadays. His faith was something he struggled with, wondering what he'd done for God to send him seventy years in the future, away from everything he loved. Yes, he still believed in Christ but he was just sure how he really felt spiritually.

Great, just another thing for him to sort out.

"Good afternoon Sister," Steve greeted, reflectively doing the sign of the cross and placing his change in the bucket.

"Thank you dear- the Lord be with you."

"And with your spirit," Steve answered, again on reflex.

Heading back to his bike, he heard his phone tinkle.

_Top Gun is on at 7PM tonight on the Paramount Channel. I know it's lower on the list but might as well while it's on xxx_

He'd noticed that Emily sent kisses at the end of her texts and apparently that was something people did. It really depended on the person, someone like Natasha would never do that. Some people did it just for family or a significant other, or with friends. Steve didn't know what to think of Emily sending kisses to him. He imagined her to be the type to do that, she was that sort of friendly person. Still, the kisses gave him jitters for a reason still unknown to him.

_Thanks for letting me know._

Smiling to himself, he placed the one back in his pocket and went on his way.

**Hi guys! Hope you enjoyed it, sorry it was so short but I struggled with length. I've abandoned by original 5K a chapter minimum rule, only doing it on started stories.**

**Next Time: Emily uses Steve in order to ditch a dull date, brings wine and begins a friendship.**

**Questions for you to answer in the reviews:**

**How much do you want to see regarding Steve's spiritual struggles?**

**How do you want Steve and Emily's friendship to develop?**

**Do you want me to explore possible PTSD on Steve's side?**

**Thanks again, hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMED**

**PLEASE READ: **

**I've decided to do something with the story that's different to what I planned. I am going to stick with the original story of Steve and Emily's friendship and eventual relationship, before going through a time jump to go to the second part, set a couple of years later. That will turn the story into one that involves a more consistent villain that tests them both. **

**I'd like to see what you think of that, so please let me know.**

**Also thank you for all of the support, it's always appreciated x**

**Chapter 4**

"Then I considered going to law school, but then decided that it wasn't for me..."

Emily could _not believe_ that she had shaved her legs for this.

Bob was an accountant, which should have been a red flag for sure because he was honest to God the MOST boring person that the brunette had ever met in her nearly twenty-five years of age. Yvette, a girl from her yoga class, had suggested her brother believing that he and Emily would hit it off. She didn't know what Yvette thought of her or if she was punishing her for some past transgression, because he was terrible. Emily hated her best friend, Claire, for taking her to those yoga classes and now she had a solid reason for getting out of it.

Here Emily was, looking as fierce as usual and she was being talked to by the amalgamation of every boring person on planet earth. He had not stopped talking, which was usually an annoyance, but it wasn't really arrogance so much as him clearly having no social skills. She looked at her wine glass, wishing that she had vodka to chug down- she needed that more than the red she was currently drinking. Bob had actually dedicated the entire first part of the date explaining how he used client data, which made Emily wonder if he'd actually ever been out with a woman who wasn't his mother before. He'd then moved onto his career and the chess club he was part of.

Emily didn't have a problem with chess, she could play it herself. What she did have a problem with was a date putting her to sleep in the middle of a crowded restaurant. Maybe he should have gone to law school; he'd be a brilliant lawyer. He'd win every case by putting his opposition and the judge to sleep.

_I always thought that Yvette was an overly excitable weirdo. Maybe annoying runs in her DNA._

She was already thinking of excuses to give when the date came. The service was slow and they'd only just finished the starters. This was going to be one long hell of a night. She couldn't even imagine sleeping with him, it just made her feel shaky. Yvette hated her, that must be it. This was punishment for some sin that she had committed against the bubbly yoga loving blonde. No way was this Yvette being kind and wanting to genuinely set her up.

"I'm just going to the bathroom, excuse me," Bob stood up, "I think I'll beat the main course."

Emily forced a laugh, before watching his retreating back with a look of horror. Throwing her head back over the chair, she wondered if this was more painful than childbirth.

Her ringing phone interrupted any self-pitying force. She grinned when she saw that it was Steve on the other line- this would be her way out.

"Thank God, I need your help," was Emily's way of an answer.

"Are you ok?" Steve sounded concerned, "Do you need me to come get you? Do you need me to call SHIELD?"

"I'm fine...well, at least physically anyway. I need you to do me a favour- call me in about ten minutes with some excuse that will make me have to leave somewhere, something super important. Make it sound urgent, like so very urgent."

"Er sure, what do you want me to say?"

"Use your imagination. Pretend that you're a neighbor of an elderly relative that has taken a fall or something and that I have to meet them at the hospital. I just need out."

"Where are you?"

"On the date from hell, this guy is so dull and I'm afraid I might fall asleep, never to wake up. Please, just call me in ten minutes; he'll be back any minute. Thank you so much, bye."

She hung up, leaving a very confused Steve on the other end of the line. Straightening up, she put on a huge fake smile for when Bob returned.

"There's this great book I'm reading."

"Oh?" Emily asked, feigning interest.

_How to tank a date."_

"It's a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down."

Emily let out a polite chuckle, internally horrified. The ten minutes seemed more like ten hours, but the curse was broken when she heard her phone ring.

"I'm so sorry; I think this might be important- do you mind?"

"No problem, I'd do the same," Bob smiled.

"Hey Steve? Can I call you back, I'm on a date? Oh...oh my, is she ok? Thank goodness you were there; she might have hurt herself even more if she were alone. The emergency room you say? Oh, poor thing, I'll be right there. Thank you so much."

She hung up, hiding her smirk.

"I am so sorry, but my great aunt took a fall and I have to meet her at the hospital," Emily rushed her coat on, "This is the worst timing but I can't leave her."

"It's fine, anything for family."

"Thank you so much for understanding," Emily faked relief, "I'm so sorry about the timing, at least we hadn't gotten to the mains yet. Here, take this, this'll cover my portion and a tip; maybe you'll be able to cancel the main. I'm gonna have to run out for a cab, it was just so nice meeting you."

"You too- I'll call you."

"Yeah, sure," Emily agreed, remembering that Bob didn't have her number, and neither did Yvette, "Goodbye- again, so sorry."

Running out of the restaurant, she didn't stop until she turned a corner. Relieved, she let out a belly laugh that made several passing pedestrians look at her strangely. It was New York, she was sure that they had seen stranger. She'd made it out of the gate.

If Claire ever wanted to take her to yoga again, this would be her excuse.

Right now, she felt a lot of gratitude for Steve. He was such an honest guy, she imagined that doing this would be against his honour but he was just that good a friend. Looking up at the street sign, she realised that she was only down the street from him. An evening with him wouldn't be so bad.

Deciding that buying wine would be a good call, she walked into the liquor store. Grabbing the nearest bottle that looked decent, she walked over to the counter. Tapping her fingers expectantly, she watched the cashier gawp at her face for longer than was necessary.

"Do you need to see some ID?" Emily asked. She'd been of legal age for a few years, but had used a fake ID for when she was under 21.

"No ma'am, that'll be $15 dollar please."

She handed it over, shoving a dollar in the charity jar. Her heels clicked against the sidewalk, the Saturday night bustle of the city in full swing. Groups walked past her, couples laughed and friends giggled. She'd gotten pretty used to the city and had grown to love it, able to walk through NYC with a large amount of joy. Fluffing a hand through her hair, she smirked at the guy sat on the steps who was clearly looking at her. Deciding to give him a show, she twirled around and watched with glee as his jaw dropped.

_I've got it baby._

Emily had grown to see Steve as a friend. She felt sympathy for him, being pulled from everything he knew into a completely new world. He was the nicest guy as well; she just wanted to hug him all the time like a puppy dog. Emily was doing everything in her power to help him, from letting him use her Netflix to cooking for him. Steve, an honest guy, had tried to give her money to pay for his part of Netflix, but she refused. It was a nice thing to do for him. She just looked into those big blue eyes of his and melted like ice cream in the summer sun.

That and he was one of the best looking men she'd ever come across.

Swinging into his district, she noticed that it was really nice- she only really came to SoHo for the bars or clubs, so she only noticed it when it was dark or she was slightly (or very) drunk.

Steve's apartment building was nice, a little run down, but nice all the same. She supposed SHIELD wouldn't have given him an expensive one, or if they'd tried Steve would have insisted on something plain. Emily had seen New York prices; she'd nearly had a heart attack when she first started looking for a place. Her favourite was the tiny apartment above a pizza shop in Tribeca, where there was no wall between the bathroom and the rest of the house, with there being no room other than the kitchen floor and the bed. She'd nearly fainted at the price and as soon she left, decided that she would have to go for somewhere that wouldn't require her to donate organs.

Finding his apartment, she knocked on the door.

On the other side of the door, Steve had been spending a quiet Saturday night catching up on the books that he missed during his time in the ice. This time it was _To Kill a Mockingbird, _which was apparently the most famous book and one that he HAD to read. The lovely librarian at SHIELD helped him compile a list, she had been very helpful. Though Steve had been given a focus of film watching, he thought that literature was also important.

When he heard the knock, he frowned- it seemed quite late, which meant that it was likely a mission. Sighing, he put the bookmark in his page and headed to the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw a very dolled up Emily Collins at the other side.

"Hi," he opened the door.

"Hey, I brought wine," she held it up, walking straight into the apartment without an invitation. A bemused Steve was left to close the door behind her.

"Hello to you too."

"I wanted to thank you for getting me out of that date, I thought I was gonna _die," _she put a dramatic, groaning voice on as she emphasised the last word, "As I left, I remembered I was near you so I thought I would bring a bottle of wine so we can chat shit about everyone we know and then I can proceed to down your liquor cabinet."

Putting the bottle down on his coffee table, she dropped onto his sofa.

"I'll get glasses," Steve chuckled.

"Wait, have you got more alcohol?" Emily asked, leaning an arm on the sofa edge, "If not I can run down the street and get some more."

"I have whisky and also tequila for some reason."

"Cool, I need it."

Steve brought back some glasses and a bottle opener, doing the honours. He started to pour into Emily's drink, thinking that it was enough until she coughed and indicated towards it with her head. Chuckling, he poured a little more then did his own glass.

"To us, a beautiful tag team for dates," Emily held her glass high, "Cheers."

"Cheers. Do you not feel bad for lying to the guy?"

"No, the only thing I feel bad about it having to use poor, honest Captain America to do my dirty work- did I break your heart?" Emily teased.

"I'm fine," Steve replied, "Only because it was you asking."

"Bless you," Emily put a hand to her heart, "So what is new with my knight in shining armour? Have you been up to anything good?"

"Well, I've actually met some people. This guy called Sam I met while running is a veteran too, I kind of ran circles around him in Central Park. He invited me to drop in at the end of his meeting, he works for the VA. I've chatted with some of them, they're really cool and we are all going to be going for drinks on Friday at some bar they say is really friendly to the military. It's nice to meet people, especially ones who have gone through the same thing as I have, well, not the ice thing obviously."

"That's awesome! Was Sam Army?"

"Air Force, pararescue- he lost his best friend in a mission, he left after that. The way he talked about his pal, I could tell it was like how I lost B...B...Bucky. He's a real cool guy, super chill and up for a laugh. He owes me a drink because I talked him up to the receptionist he has a crush on."

"He sounds cool."

"He's great; I think you'd like him."

"Well I hope to meet him one day. What was the VA like?"

Steve told her, Emily politely remaining on every word. It was nice to be able to just tell someone about his day, especially someone who actually cared. He'd not been used to that in a long time, ever since his mother died he hadn't had anyone to talk to him like that. Bucky would have, but they were both in the same college and employment. His mother had, but she had died a couple of years before the war. Nobody else in the modern day seemed like the type to talk to, with Emily being the only exception. She listened intently, only interrupting with verbal sound effects and vigorous nods.

"Well I'm really glad you've made friends, it sounds like it'll be a blast. I'm guessing that they do other social events?"

"Yeah, stuff like laser tag, bowling and hiking, all sorts. Not everyone drinks or does certain activities, laser tag for example can be triggering, so there's lots to do."

"That's so great, not just for you but for all of your veteran friends. You'll have your own little squad in no time. Friendship is just as important as all the movies and pop culture that you've caught up on, you gotta squeeze the opportunity. Having the ones you love around you is the best, so many things in life are better with family and friends. Make the most of it; make sure you hang out with people outside of the VA designated activities. You're a great guy Steve, I think it'll be really awesome for you do this- you deserve this."

"Thank you," he smiled, "You've been a great help too- albeit one that walks straight into my house without an invitation."

"Yeah but with wine," she held the bottle up with a grin, pointing at it.

"You're a very peppy person, you know that?"

"Well I was a cheerleader for eight years, peppy is in my DNA."

Steve could see that. In his day, cheerleaders were mainly college boys with a few women starting to break into it in the later years. Those cheerleaders wore long skirts and jumpers, yelling out a few chants and kicking their legs in the air. From what he'd seen of the 21st century version in sports games, cheerleaders were 90+% women with shorter skirts and incredibly complex gymnastic routines that featured in competition. Steve could imagine a younger Emily waving pom poms and chanting in front of a roaring crowd.

"Really?"

"Yep, captain of my high school and college squads. Totally loved it, got amazing friends with it and that really, really helps when it comes to the chemistry that the team must have in competitions. Also, the stuff about guys liking cheerleaders? Totally true, never failed to score when I was in my uniform. Well, that was an added bonus; I do genuinely love the dancing and the performing. People think it's just a pastime, but cheerleading is actually the lead cause of injuries in female athletes in both college and high school. Yeah, it's some really serious shit. Well, being captain of a national winning cheerleading squad in Pennsylvania really boosted my college resume. You had all the types who played an instrument, tutored freshmen and did every extracurricular under the sun, but I was smart, I knew I only wanted to do fun things. Being a cheerleader, just a normal thing. Captaining a very successful squad is excellent. I do miss it, it was the best. Parts of it never left me; I still do a massive smile when I do a gymnastics move in training because it's so drilled into me."

"You got any chants?" Steve asked.

"I have tonnes baby," Emily put her wine glass down and went to the front of the room. Hands on hips, she then started to do various moves, including waving imaginary pom poms.

"We fly, we soar, you know the score. It's hot in here- you know why, cause there's electricity in the atmosphere. We fight, we scrap, we're here with our bite. Our boys are in blue while you don't have a clue. You walk, we run, you fumble, we fly. GO BLUES!"

Going down, she did a perfect side splits with her hands still in the air. It lasted longer than Steve imagined it was comfortable, but that didn't affect Emily as she got up without visible issue.

"Nice job," Steve clapped.

"Thank you," Emily smirked, clearly pleased with her performance.

"Let me guess- homecoming queen?"

"Yes, and homecoming princess in my junior year."

"Prom queen?"

"Of course."

"Well weren't you a popular girl?" Steve joked.

"Puberty was kind and so were people," Emily shrugged, "Who am I to not embrace it."

"You would have been the type of girl that I was in awe of in high school. You got to be crowned prom queen whilst the football guys were beating the crap out of me in the middle of the schoolyard. I hated high school. I like to think I'm a pretty smart guy, but I was never a very academic person which my teachers hated. I preferred to doodle in the margins in my trigonometry class, my trig teacher always threatened to clap me with a ruler. When I was getting beaten by kids twice my size, they turned a blind eye. Little Steve Rogers, they thought that I was going to die of pneumonia while still a teenager. You and I had very different experiences. Without Bucky, I might not have even survived my high school years. I can't imagine we would have been friends."

"Well, I wasn't a bully- even if we weren't friends, I would have at least acknowledged you had you acknowledged me. There was this one girl in high school that was kind of a bitch."

"I can't imagine anyone bullying you."

"Oh no, she didn't, but she did others," Emily growled at the memory, "Her name was Nancy D'Evello. She moved to Pennsylvania at the start of our freshman year and she immediately became an enemy when she criticised my best girl Amber at our cheer tryouts. I hated her, but she was Amber's bitterest enemy. Those two hated each other, arch enemy. We were never gonna be close, I tend to hold a grudge especially if someone has wronged my bestie. Throughout high school she was always super bitter, we were always getting into arguments in the halls and at cheer practice. The best was when I got cheer captain for junior and senior year, D'Evello had been gunning for it so hard, but I got it. Her face, she nearly threw a tantrum. Last time I saw her was at graduation and I have not seen her since. I go on her Facebook from time to time to see what she's doing. That would have been the bitch that wouldn't have been your friend. Oh well, I'm happy with how things turned out for me."

"So you're over it?"

"Oh god no, I wish her a lot of ill will."

"Maybe you should forgive her, now you're an adult."

"Oh honey," she put a hand on her heart and the other on his knee, "I'm not that good a person."

"That's a shame."

"Don't stress it, that bitch is out of my hair. We went to colleges far, far away from far away. Getting into Yale was such a dream."

"You went to Yale?"

"Oh yeah, I never said did I?" Emily shrugged, "Yeah, best four years of my life. It's a great place to be, from opportunities to things like parties. God, I had to work so hard to get in, it's really not easy. Everyone says that it's hard, and it is, but they just assume if you have good grades you can get in. Kept at a 4.0, smashed the SATs, got killer recommendations and did loads of extracurriculars. Oh, that was another thing I had over D'Evello. Don't give me that look Rogers, I worked hard but I still won't work hard enough not to hate a high school enemy. What about you? College?"

"I would have not been able to afford it. Back then, college was for people who could either bag a scholarship or came from a wealthy family. I wasn't athletic or top of the class, I couldn't have got into anywhere on merit or help. Yale back then, no way you or I would have got in. The only ones were people like the Roosevelts or the Carnegies. Rich guys, white, those whose fathers worked in the big industries. Not for me, I wasn't stuck out for Yale or any other college. That's one good thing about how things have progressed- I'm sitting across a woman who graduated from one of the top schools in the country, that would not have happened in the 40s. I went to an art college that I used to pay from what my mom left me, but then the war kind of put a stopper on that."

He let out a hollow laugh.

"Academics aren't the be all and end all- you're street smart, that's cool," Emily encouraged.

"You're sweet."

"I know. I'm also thirsty."

"Want a drink of water?"

"No, I mean alcohol, may I please raid your whiskey?"

"Sit down, I've got it."

"Thanks doll," Emily sent him an air kiss from the sofa, making Steve laugh again. When he returned, he immediately handed the glass to his female companion.

"I'll let you pour your own glass, I cannot imagine that I will satisfy your taste enough."

"Yeah good call," Emily poured her glass nearly full and handed it back to Steve, "Thanks, I love a good whisky. We should go out drinking together sometime, get wasted and have fun. What kind of drunk are you? I'm very talkative and giggly. Yes, even more than I am now if such a thing can surprise you. I'll literally do anything when drunk. I can imagine you're a really happy drunk."

"I can't get drunk, serum prevents it," Steve pointed at himself.

"Damn, even more of a reason for us to go out. When we're both free and not on call, we'll go on a bar crawl around Greenwich Village, that's got the best nightlife."

"If I can handle you," Steve offered.

"Don't even try," Emily winked over the edge of her glass, "That's some goddamn good whisky, you really have taste."

"Well I've talked about my friends, I want to hear about the poor unfortunate souls that you hang around with."

"You're a bold guy, I didn't think Captain America would take such a bite at a young lady," Emily pushed his arm in a faux teasing manner.

"I jest, I jest."

"You better be," Emily playfully warned, "My best friend is Claire, I've known her since I moved to New York. She owns a florist literally down the street, she's a real doll you know, I think she's kind of like your personality type. I walked into her place looking for directions and the rest is history. My other bestie is Amber, who I've known since Pre-K. We did dance and cheerleading together, still thick as thieves nearly twenty years later. She's the worst, like in a good way, if you think I'm a bad influence then Amber would make you blush like a schoolgirl. Carefree, silly and my God she goes through guys like anything but I don't judge because that's her life. The others I met in middle school- the Penn Six we call ourselves. Amber and I are two, then there's Macy who is currently in Chicago in law school, Joshua but we just call him Evans, Carlton and Joey. Amber is in real estate, Evans is shop teacher, Carlton is a sports physiotherapist and Joey is a paramedic. At work I have two BFFs, Natalie and Aaron. You'll meet them soon, they're both awesome even though Aaron is a Cincinnati Bengals fan which is just gross. We met on the first day of training and have been close ever since, we even went on vacation together last year to beautiful Mexico. Drives Aaron crazy sometimes because Nat and I are both fluent in Spanish and use it to annoy him. That's all."

She let out a breath.

"I don't want to see you drunk if you walk this much sober."

"Ok, watch this then," she proceeded to down the bottle of whiskey, "I'll replace that."

She chuckled at his horrified face.

"Don't worry, I won't get drunk off of any of this."

"You're absolutely terrible."

"Yeah but you've chosen to be my friend so you're stuck with me," Emily shrugged, "How is the movie list going?"

"At a decent pace, I've watched the top ones. I'm reading _To Kill a Mockingbird."_

"Great book, every kid did it at high school. I loved it, even if I was forced to read it for class. Have you got a book list?"

"Lillian gave me a list."

"Lillian the librarian? Oh she's a saint."

"Do you read?"

"Yeah. I've read all the classics but I'm huge on detective, mystery and crime novels. I love stuff that gets me working things out and guessing right until the very end who the culprit is. I'm the same on that with the TV I watch- anything like CSI is like crack to me. It's only that I really watch, apart from _Dancing With the Stars. _I would rather die than miss it."

"Bit dramatic," Steve laughed.

"Have you met me?" Emily indicated to herself, "I'm a living, breathing drama queen."

"That you are," Steve agreed with a chuckle.

The two talked for another hour or so. Well, Emily talked, Steve listened. She was still polite and asked genuine questions about his life, but it was mainly him learning everything about her, from her family to what her favourite nail colour was. By the end of it, he'd found that there was a certain charm about Emily Collins that was just irresistible.

"Well, I better be getting off," Emily looked at her phone time, standing up, "Thanks for letting me invade your place and ply you with alcohol, it was totally fun. We are totally doing this again sometime, I'm not taking no for an answer. I'm glad you're assimilating well, I'd be totally bummed if things weren't working out for you."

"How are you getting home?"

"Teleportation, it's my secret power," she deadpanned, "Totally kidding, I'm getting a cab."

"I'll take you home," Steve jumped up.

"It's fine thanks, a cab is fine."

"I'd rather you get home safe, a lady alone at night in the city can be dangerous and whilst it shouldn't change your behaviour or actions, I'd rather ensure your safety."

"Steve, I'm packing heat right now. If any cab driver tried anything with me, I've been trained to disarm a driver whilst safely parking."

"You've also had a few drinks, which will impair your judgement. You're also not invincible. Please, the journey is no bother for me."

"If that's so, thanks, I'll take the offer."

Making sure Emily had anything, Steve escorted her out of the apartment and locked up. Out of instinct, he held out his arm which she immediately took. The drive to her place wasn't too long, Emily loudly singing to a song on the radio that Steve had no idea about. Getting to her apartment, Steve opened his door the same time as Emily.

"You don't have to be my valet," Emily stated, stumbling out of the passenger seat.

"I'm walking you to your place, I want to make sure that you get in safely."

"Remind me why you don't have a girlfriend. You're a real life Prince Charming and you look like you were sculpted by the Gods."

Steve blushed, not used to compliments and not one to often take them. They went up the stairs to her place, Emily fumbling in her bag for her keys.

"Thanks for saving my life earlier hun, I owe you one."

"I didn't save your life, you weren't going to _die _there," Steve scorned.

"You weren't there, he was boring as shit," Emily pointed with her keys as the door opened, "Anyway, it was a total blast tonight. Hanging out with you is fun, those veterans will soon find that out."

"The feeling is mutual, you are very good company, albeit one that is a bad influence."

"Shut up, you know you love it," Emily teased, "Goodnight honey, see you Monday."

She leaned in, kissing his cheek. Steve was momentarily stunned, pressing the spot where her lips had connected with his skin.

"Bye Emily."

She closed the door to her apartment, the last sight he got of her that night. Walking back to his car, he felt his heart skip a beat.

_No, she is just a friend, you still have Peggy- she's the one, the girl that you want. You don't care that she's an old lady, she's Peggy Carter. No one else can beat her._

_Yeah, keep telling yourself that._

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed this one! The friendship is really blossoming.**

**Next Time: Emily hangs out with Aaron and Natalie at work, introducing them to Steve.**

**Question: Would you like to see Coulson next time?**

**Thanks again, don't forget to answer the question above and the one at the top of the page. Again, really grateful for the support so thank you ever so much for even just reading it. I'll see you on the other side xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you ever so much for the support, as of writing we're on 62 follows and 35 favourites! That means so much, I wasn't sure if it would take off so thanks. Please review it you can, it would mean a lot.**

**Chapter 5**

_Monday morning_

Emily walked into The Bunk, coffee in hand. Any doctor would want to cry if they visited SHIELD; the caffeine intake of every worker there probably exceeded health advice. If you asked any agent whether they'd give up coffee or alcohol, they'd say alcohol in a heartbeat. Emily was no exception; she didn't function until she had her morning cup of Joe.

She'd been asked to be part of a team doing research on a group that was suspected of having some sort of abilities. It was very vague, they only had one definite person, but they wanted to put a case together to decide whether they were a threat or an ally. Personally, Emily had no qualm with people of special powers but she knew SHIELD was very paranoid of this kind of thing and wanted to know. Ever since New York, all kind of weird crap was coming up, especially with the alien weapons being shipped around the country. There had been whispers of a young girl who had set fire to her foster home and fled, but no one knew it was plain old arson or if she was actually powered.

Now though, there were a group apparently in the New Jersey area- that was who SHIELD was researching. Social media was a gift to law enforcement but a demon to privacy. They'd do basic research whilst the tech geeks would do the hacking. SHIELD employed a similar thing here, hiring hackers who had got into extremely secure servers like the Pentagon or NSA. Half of the wiry, shy guys and girls that Emily passed in the tech labs had nearly been put in prison for twenty years.

Luckily, all Emily had to use was Google. God bless the internet. Also luckily, she had two other people with her who she loved.

"I brought bagels," Emily sang.

"Oh god yes," Aaron and Natalie rushed up to take one, immediately scoffing them in her mouth.

Aaron Pierce was a tall and broad guy who cleared six foot. Steve was a classic, smooth blonde and blue eyed man, whilst Aaron was more rugged in his appearance. He'd gotten into Ohio State on an athletic scholarship; hence the reasons why he'd broken so many SHIELD records when he'd arrived- though Steve had smashed all of those. The most chilled and jokey person, he was your go to person for anything physical. A die hard Cincinnati Bengal fan, he offended the Pittsburgh Steelers loyalist in Emily. Still, both hated the Baltimore Ravens and pitied the Cleveland Browns so it was all good.

Natalie Tanner was also tall, towering over most of the women of SHIELD. She was one of the most striking ladies around, something that would put most models to shame. Half Hispanic on her mother's side, she had a slight tan and soft black hair. More serious than the other two, she had a brilliant mind for observation, ideal in the field when a plan went awry. Not a sports fan, Natalie often hated that the other two liked sports, but she and Emily liked to annoy Aaron by speaking in fluent Spanish, a language that he didn't understand.

They'd been her best friends at SHIELD ever since the first day of training. Both had thought it was cool that she'd put Ellery on his ass and as soon as that was discussed, they were tighter than a Navy knot. Only last year had they enjoyed a vacation to Mexico together, revelling in a lot of fun behaviour and more than a few drinks. The three were extremely close, best friends in and outside of work. Emily could rely on Aaron to talk about sports and Natalie for the girly stuff. Most of all, they would all rely on each other after a tough mission or to bitch about a shitty superior (*cough* Agent Blake *cough*).

"I love missions like these," Aaron leaned back on his chair, "It's just heavy Googling, what could be easier? Also, I swear these bagels get better every time."

"I might marry Marin's son just so I can get free bagels," Natalie told them all.

"Isn't he gay?" Emily asked.

"He could be bi," Natalie shrugged.

"No, pretty sure he's gay. Last time I was in Marin was telling me it was a shock that his son was into guys, the implication being that he was totally gay. I think that puts a stopper in his plans."

"Isn't Marin's brother single? He's nice."

"He's nearly sixty, girl."

"So?" Natalie shrugged, "Men like much younger women. If it gets me free bagels, then I'm all for it."

"Hey, girl knows it," Aaron pointed his pen at Natalie, "When I was in college, there was this girl called Izzy whose parents owned the local steakhouse. They did the best onion rings in the world. We dated for like three months so I could get those onion rings. She was a bit clingy but my god was it worth it for those little circles of heaven. Eventually she broke up with me because she thought I wasn't committed enough to the relationship, which wasn't technically untrue. I still went and got cheap onion rings because her parents liked me. God, that put Izzy's panties in a twist but I didn't care. Life was beautiful."

"You're so mean," Emily scolded as she logged onto the computer.

"Like you two are angels," Aaron scoffed, "I've heard the stories of your dating misadventures."

"Speaking of which," Natalie swivelled around in her chair, "How was your date on Saturday night, Miss. Collins? We want to hear everything."

"It was terrible."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Emily nodded, "He was the most single boring guy I have ever met, and I have met boring guys. His name was Bob and he's an _accountant."_

Aaron and Natalie simultaneously cringed out loud- that was never a good sign.

"He's telling me all these stories and honestly, the worst jokes I've ever heard in my life. They weren't even charming puns, they were legitimately terrible. There was just nothing interesting about Bob, and who even calls themselves Bob anymore? It's like Robert or Rob. Then there was him talking about considering going to law school and all I could think of was how good an idea it would be, he would win every case by putting everyone to sleep! I wanted to die right in the middle of the restaurant and the service was so damn slow that we hadn't even got to our main course. I wanted to die a thousand deaths. Then the story takes a turn, as Bob goes to the bathroom."

"Oh my god did you walk out?" Natalie asked, leaning forward excitedly.

"Not quite," Emily smirked, "When Bob's in the bathroom, I get a phone call from Steve."

"Who's Steve?" Aaron questioned.

"Steve, ya know Captain Rogers."

"Ooh, on first name terms with an Avenger are we?" Aaron teased.

"Shove it up your ass Pierce. Anyway, he's calling about something or the other but he doesn't get a chance to tell me because I am there asking him to ring back in ten minutes so that I can bust out of there. I may or may not have hung up before he got a chance to protest. True to his word, he calls, pretends he's my 'great aunt's' neighbor, that she's had a fall and that I had to meet them at hospital. It works, so I bounce. In my defence, I threw some bills down so I could help pay. I am never going to Claire's damn yoga class ever again. It was great after that though, I bought some wine and went to Steve's as a thank you. We got tipsy together, well; I got tipsy because alcohol doesn't affect him. It was a great time; he drove me home after because he's a gentleman, insisted that I don't take a cab home in case I get attacked. Steve also has the best taste in whisky."

"So what did you do anything at Steve's?" Natalie wondered, a coy grin on her face.

"No, it's not like that. He's a friend and I don't think that sex will be the first thing on his mind considering the shit he's gone through."

"He is hot though," Natalie countered, "Very, very hot."

"Oh god yeah," Emily placed her neck on the seat top, "I swear it's illegal to be as attractive as that, you can't be legally that good looking."

"He's like Adonis," Natalie continued, "Sculpted by the gods, my heart skips a beat every time I see him. I swear every straight girl in this place wants to marry him. If he was a guy in a bar, I would be jumping on him like there was no tomorrow."

"He's not _that _attractive," Aaron sulked, arms folded like a pouty child.

"Someone's jealous," Emily stuck her tongue out, "I love it when an attractive alpha male comes in and the other guys got envious. I heard Vicky, you know that attractive secretary, talking about how Steve opened the door for her and all the guys in the room looked like someone had shot their dog. Didn't he break every athletic record in this place?"

"He might have," Aaron huffed, pissed that he had been made to look like a hundred pound teenage girl. All of his hard won records were now a distant second and it looked as though it would stay that way while Steve was around, "Anyway, let's get on with the case."

"Yes sir," Emily and Natalie both saluted.

Logging onto the case file, they were greeted with a small list of possible names. So far, every search had come to an indie gift store- the thing was, they didn't know which indie gift store that it was. There were many in New Jersey, from large shops to tiny one room jobs. There was no way that they could narrow it down.

As Emily checked the ownership records of the gift place, she came across a name that seemed awfully familiar- Norman Knight. Checking it against the list, she realised that it could be one of the inhumans on the list. Onto street view, and she found it- Knight Indie Gifts in Paterson.

A person heading into the store aroused Emily's suspicion. She didn't look like an ordinary store goer, the captured image made her seem nervous and cautious. Locking in the best view of the face, she uploaded it to the facial recognition system.

_Name: Kitty Pearson_

_Address: Unknown, likely Paterson or surrounding area_

_Alias (es): Steam, Kerry Patterson, Evie Cross, Joanne Lucksberg_

_Occupation: Retail worker_

_DoB: 11/06/89_

_Status: Suspected inhuman, unidentified allegiances_

"You guys, I think I found something," she motioned them over; "Kitty Perish is seen here entering a gift store in Paterson, owned by a man named Norman Knight."

She pulled his photo up.

"Both are on the list of the inhumans that SHIELD has pooled. This could be a coincidence or this could be a possible meeting place of the powered people. Nobody is going to expect a gift place store in the middle of the city; especially one that sells crap like this seems to. It's in plain sight, not an abandoned building or somewhere out of town. People are going to be looking for outliers, not a normal street in the main part of the city."

"I'm looking over this store now," Aaron typed away, "It's been in use for around a year, right after Thor landed in New Mexico."

"Right around the time that Kitty Pearson dropped out of Montclair State. She was majoring in communications then she just left, started working at a pet food store not far from the gift place," Natalie added, "There's a security company just across the road that has cameras pointing straight to the front door. There are actually a lot of security places there."

"Have you been to New Jersey?" Aaron asked rhetorically.

Natalie did a small shrug of agreement.

"I guess we've found a lead," Emily tapped on her phone, "I'll message Agent Norcott."

The rise of specially powered people had come so fast that the government hadn't had time to legislate it. Some states were starting to bring laws in, from the harshness of Hawaii to the relative freedoms of North Dakota. There was no registration or requirement to come forward, but the inhumans were starting to grow in the shadows. On Capitol Hill, legislators on both sides were either speaking in favour of their rights or speaking against. Small riots had broken out in some places, non-powered citizens jittery since New York. Chaos would soon erupt.

Emily was uneasy, believing civil liberties were important. There had been no attacks or crimes using these powers and they seemed peaceful, but government agencies were waiting for them to snap. Her eyes were forlorn at the sight of Kitty 'Steam' Pearson, a girl who looked younger than her years. Emily could imagine her as a frightened young college student discovering her powers in her room, leaving because she got scared. Kitty wasn't actually that much younger than Emily, but she still looked to be in her teens.

In college, Emily would have been horrified at the thought of a powerful government agency tailing her. Looking at Kitty's picture, she wondered. Even if Kitty was a bad person, she didn't deserve to be stalked like this. Of course, if laws were put in place Emily would follow them, but she was uncomfortable at the idea.

Before Emily could open her mouth to suggest further searching, Natalie realised something. She turned her head to her friend.

"Speaking of leftovers, Em, didn't you bring food for Captain Rogers?"

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice for him to have home cooked meals instead of relying on a microwave. I also made an almond slice for him. Considering all he's gone through, I reckoned a little bit of kindness was in order. He had to experience my legendary cooking anyway; he's not reached the 21st century until he's tried my risotto."

"That's awfully nice of you," Aaron remarked, "Wine as well. I don't even need to ask if you gave him help with movies. You seem rather fond of him."

"He's a nice guy who could use a friend," Emily shrugged, "Wait, why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"No reason, we just think it's cute, right Nat?"

Natalie nodded, "He seems like a nice guy- a nice guy with incredible abs and a beautiful face."

"I'm allowed to be friends with the opposite sex," Emily protested, "What about Aaron?"

"Aaron doesn't look like Captain Rogers, no offence."

"Love you too Nat. I get her point; I guess what you guys see in him. Is our Emily getting a crush?"

"I'm a twenty something with a career and a college education, crushes are for smitten teenagers. Steve is a great guy and I like to hang around with him, him being insanely perfectly looking doesn't mean that I have to want to ride him like a stallion. Steve's gone through a lot and I want to help him assimilate. Can you guys imagine being thrown seventy years into the future? Our parents would be dead, our siblings and friends likely, everything will have changed. Is it so bad that I think he's a good guy being dealt a shitty hand? Like I said, my cooking solves everything; he said that he loved it. Also, did I tell you that his whisky taste is the bomb?"

"Yes, yes you have," Natalie told her, "Is he nice? I heard he's nice."

"Yeah, he's super sweet and well-mannered, very shy and polite. I imagine he's a different person when he's swinging his shield- that's not a euphemism Aaron, stop laughing. Maybe it's him being from another time, but he's kind of a gentleman. He listened to me talk all night, but I do talk a lot anyway so I guess he'd have to listen. Good on the mission, leadership skills and all that. I'd drink with him again, that's important."

"I do like a whisky man," Aaron nodded, "It's an acquired taste and I respect my fellow man when he knows his stuff. I'll have to ask him where he gets it."

"What's his place like?" Natalie prodded.

"Do you want to know everything about him?"

"Yes," was the simultaneous reply from her two friends.

"It's fine," Emily shrugged, "Nothing special, just a normal apartment. Sparsely decorated, I only went in his living room and kitchenette. Is that it or are we going to go into any more details?"

They shook their heads.

"Good," Emily nodded.

"Did he not even _show _you his bedroom?"

"No," the brunette threw a file at Natalie, who dodged it beautifully, "Let's just see what else we can dig up before Norcott gets here."

They continued talking, moving onto a conversation about the road works in Midtown that were driving them all crazy. Just after Aaron's rant about where his taxes were going, Steve walked in. Emily was laughing hard about something when she saw him enter.

"Hey sweetie," she smiled sweetly, "Stevie, these are my most amazing SHIELD friends Natalie Tanner and Aaron Pierce."

They stood up to shake hands, Steve nervously greeted them. Natalie's jaw dropped at the sight of the incredible man whilst Aaron was clearly intimidated by the athletic man that was so much taller and broader than him.

"It's nice to meet you," Steve told them, "I've heard so much about you all."

"You too," Natalie grinned, "Emily told us about how you rescued her on Saturday."

"Well, it was just for a friend," the blond replied bashfully.

"You sit down honey," Emily patted the seat beside her, "How are you?"

"Good thanks," he nodded, "I had some more of your leftovers last night, they're incredible."

"I'll make some more this week."

"You don't have to."

"No, I insist, my food is the greatest," Emily rested her legs on his, "Thanks again for driving me home the other night, I had so much fun. I know I kind of walked into your place uninvited but whatever, we had a blast. I owe you big time for getting me out of the world's worst date- if you need me to storm in a restaurant, slap you and pretend to be your pregnant ex, I will totally do it at the drop of the hat."

"I'm sure I won't need that, thanks," Steve told her politely, "Wait- have you done that?"

"In college but kinda without the pregnancy part. A friend of mine was seeing this girl who he was kind of scared of, he was the type of nerdy guy that you would expect Yale. He wanted to end it but didn't want an excuse that would bring her back. Colin, that was my friend, asked me to help him out in return for free drinks at his aunt's bar. I'm not a girl to turn down free drinks so I agreed. I waited until Colin and Kirstie (that was the girl) were at coffee. I stormed in, screamed at him for leaving me then cried telling him I thought I was pregnant. Kirstie freaked and left, never saw her again. It turned out she was plaguarising her essays so she moved back to Wisconsin after, no worries. I got loaded on free margaritas one night and that was that."

Steve looked at her in horror, whilst Natalie and Aaron acted as though she'd just told a mild story about the weather. In fact, they both looked understanding.

"Oh," the blond managed to squeak out.

"Mint?" Emily offered casually.

Steve got to know Natalie and Aaron that day. He could see why they were Emily's close friends, they were so like her. Whilst Steve was reserved and calm, they represented the free spirited nature and fun of the new era. They made crude jokes, laughed at Emily's questionable comments and supported her running out of dates. Still, he really liked them. The pair were kind to him, asking questions and not being unknowingly tactless about what had happened to him. He had to admit he laughed when Natalie and Emily started talking in rapid fire and fluent Spanish, causing him and Aaron much confusion.

He still couldn't stop looking at Emily. Her laugh made him tingle inside.

The door swung open. Instead of Agent Norcott, it was Agent Coulson. Emily stood up to give him a hug, rushing over excitedly.

"Hi sweetheart," he smiled at his treasured niece, "How's my best girl?"

"I'm great," she smiled, "Want to come over for the game on Friday? I have leftovers."

"Sounds amazing Em, can't wait. Hi guys, Cap, I don't think I've seen you since just after New York, how are you finding SHIELD so far?"

"Good thank you," Steve nodded, "Emily's been super helpful, giving me food and helping me catch up on the movies."

"We hung out on Saturday, it was fun," Emily added.

"It was," Steve agreed.

"Em's a good kid," Coulson rubbed her head, "Always has been. Anyway, Agent Norcott was pulled into a meeting so I've been sent to ask you what you found."

"Yeah, we'll brief you," they all pulled the information up on their screens, relaying the information to the senior agent. Coulson typed it on his pad, not interrupting to ask questions. Once they were done telling him everything, he nodded.

"That's great, thank you. I'm taking Agent Young to Paterson so that we can get a good look at the security feed. Once we've got the footage, we'll send it over to you guys for an analysis. If you need anything else Captain Rogers, just let me know."

"I will, thank you Agent Coulson," Steve nodded.

He hugged Emily goodbye before leaving. As soon as he was gone, Emily turned back to Steve.

"That was good for him, I'm pretty sure he didn't pee this time."

"Excuse me?"

"Agent Coulson admires you," Aaron supplied, biting into his apple.

"So he's really a fan then? He asked about his trading cards a few times."

"A fan? A FAN?" Emily asked, "Stevie, honey, my uncle is obsessed with you. When he was a kid, he had a Captain America themed bedroom with every toy and piece of memorabilia you can imagine. He'd dress up as you every Halloween without fail, even as a teen. His history reports were on you, he could recall every trivia fact in the book. Uncle Phil probably knows you better than you know yourself. As a kid, I heard stories about you and they always seemed to be new, no repetition. He's seen every documentary and YouTube video about you and The Howling Commandos. Do you know how he reacted when Fury put blood on his trading cards to make it look like you were dead? I heard he cried like a little girl. Look, I'm a huge fangirl of the greatest actress that ever lived, Ms. Audrey Hepburn, but he puts my obsession to shame. Dude loves you."

"Oh." Steve still wasn't used to the fact people obsessed over him. Gone were the days where they would line up at every event, scream his lines at USO shows and beg for autographs. Nowadays people saw him as a hero, used his image on graffiti and even wrote articles about him online dissecting his entire life. He'd walked inconspicuously past the toy stores selling his figurines or the street artists using his image. Strangers talked on television about him- he even had people arguing that he was either a liberal as a poor Catholic son of immigrants in Depression era NYC or that he was a diehard Conservative who kissed the constitution nightly.

Steve could barely figure out politics these days.

"Don't worry, he won't be too bad," Emily tossed her hair back.

"You guys, I've found something," Natalie informed them all.

Emily rolled her seat over.

Wondering how he was going to cope with being a hero to millions whilst not understanding anything about the 21st century, Steve felt a little more lost than usual. Emily looked up briefly from the screen, smiling at him. When she smiled, he felt a little better, for he knew he had at least one person he cared for truly. Maybe she would make things better.

**Hello all! I hope that you enjoyed it.**

**Next Time: Steve goes on a mission with Natasha, Clint, Rumlow and Rollins, but tensions spill when he doesn't like the risks Rumlow takes.**

**Thanks again, don't forget to review if you can xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thank you for all your support, everyone's being so lovely! Any reviews would be very much appreciated and wanted, especially with so many favourites and follows!**

**Also please answer the question at the bottom if you can **

**Chapter 6**

_La Paz, Bolivia_

The streets of La Paz were bustling in the middle of the day, especially in the market area. Dressed as tourists in their baseball caps and sneakers, the five to be nothing but Yanks seeking a fun adventure in the bustling South American capital. In fact, they were anything but. Steve; Natasha; Clint; Rumlow and Rollins walked the streets, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

They'd been sent to co-operate with the Bolivian Special Forces to retrieve some highly advanced and dangerous weaponry, including a gun that used smuggled Chitauri parts. The Bolivians had been initially reluctant to let SHIELD in, fairly arguing that the matter was domestic and therefore should be handled in house. SHIELD argued back, claiming that any Chitauri parts were US property and so they should have the handle on it- they were smuggled in, what was to say that they would get back to them safely? The Bolivians would hand over data and SHIELD would risk its agents' lives instead of the ones in the host country. It seemed fair, so SHIELD sent over their best.

Steve felt a little awkward, being the only one who didn't speak a lick of Spanish. He knew hello and goodbye, but that was about it. Natasha and Clint were fluent (of course), whilst Rumlow and Rollins were good at a conversational level, missing a few words here and there. He'd watched the others translate everything, from coffee orders to conversation with military sergeants. Steve sat there, biting his tongue and making a mental note to start learning some languages. A lot of people at SHIELD, mainly analysts and agents, spoke at least one another language to a varying degree of fluency. Clint spoke English, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Japanese. Rumlow and Rollins spoke fluent Russian and German with a little Spanish. Not to be outdone, Natasha was fluent in over a dozen, even Latin (that had been dead long before Steve was born).

It wasn't the best mission in the world, not by a long shot. With SHIELD not wanting them to be noticeable, they were stuck in a cramped flat with no air con. Bolivia was a pretty hot country and a tiny flat was no fun in this stifling heat. Steve had offered to sleep on the floor, considering the lack of actual sleeping space in the place. With no way to connect with to the Bolivians and with people he barely knew, he couldn't say it was a fun journey. The mission itself was mainly a stakeout, lots of sitting around staring at people whilst trying to not look obvious. Natasha and Clint were easy to talk to, but Steve knew they would rather stick together, being the dynamic duo that they were.

Then there was Rumlow. There was something about him that rubbed Steve the wrong way- he just didn't trust him but couldn't put his finger on why. It wasn't just the arrogance; it was the way that Rumlow wasn't focused on things. He was overly careless, caring little for collateral damage so long as he got the victory prize. There was no respect for co workers and little interest in being a cooperative team member. Rumlow respected nothing but the chase and thrill- understandable in the line of work, but the more traditional Steve believed in keeping to the task at hand, ensuring the safety of others and working well as a group. The cocky Rumlow clashed with the rather more proper Steve.

Then again, Steve was a pretty big risk taker at the best of times, but only when he was confident in his chances.

Emily disliked Rumlow a lot, calling him the 'arrogant asshole with an ego bigger than Jupiter, compensating for something with the size of his gun and someone who keeps looking at my ass but isn't good enough to get with me.' Emily disliking was enough for Steve, but he could imagine her as a person who disliked people for rather meaningless reasons. The 'isn't good enough to get with me' part seemed a little arrogant on Emily's side, but Steve knew her to be someone who knew her relationship worth and didn't hide it if she thought someone wasn't on her league. He disagreed with the attitude, but she wasn't a bad person at heart.

He wished she was on the mission with him, he liked being around her. Emily was another one with a grasp for languages, speaking Spanish and French fluently. She'd started young, when one was supposed to be best, and learnt through vacations to France and her uncle, fluent in Spanish. A few times she'd stated an interest in learning another language, likely Russian or Arabic as they became more important on the world stage.

Maybe she'd tutor him in Spanish, she was nice like that. Steve felt bad, she'd been so he helpful, from cooking him meals to lending him Netflix. He planned to get her a gift from Bolivia as a little thank you, maybe something from the textile industry like a scarf. Out of everyone in the new world, she was the only one that he felt he'd truly connected with. He liked Sam, but he was still yet to get to know him truly. Emily meant a lot.

They headed to the market stall, trying to look as touristy as possible. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Natasha intimidating a man who was verbally abusing his female companion. More than a few men had made lewd comments to Natasha or even tried to get close to her, but the redhead didn't take shit from anyone and they'd all scampered away in fear.

She reminded him of Peggy and he liked her for that.

Stopping at a stall which sold shawls, he started to look over them. The stall holder spoke as little English as Steve spoke Spanish; with the latter eventually managing to mime that he just wanted to look.

"Didn't strike you as a scarf kind of guy," Rumlow stated from next to him.

"I thought I'd get something as a gift for Emily, maybe as a throw for her room and a scarf for winter," Steve replied as he looked over a red and yellow weave.

"Aww, missing your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Sure," Rumlow snorted, "It must be hard for an attractive guy like you, a hot female agent giving you the time of day. If I was in your shoes, I'd be on it like Donkey Kong. I mean, she's no Tanner or Morse but she's hot."

Steve glared at him- he couldn't stop Rumlow talking about attractive women, as it would be hypocritical of him as he didn't stop Emily lusting after guys. Still, he felt a sense of annoyance at the thought of Emily being thought of as a 'hot female' agent instead of a competent one in her own right. Though she could easily handle herself, he'd found himself to be protective of the friend that he'd made. The idea of anyone insulting Emily pissed him off immensely.

Behind Rumlow, Natasha rolled her eyes and Steve tried not to laugh.

"Better not buy anything guys, the Bolivians have located our target," Rollins interrupted, "A few streets down from here in a small house, should be an easy in and out mission. I've shared the location on your phones; we can get our weapons when we hit the street. Layout should be downloading now."

In front of them was the blueprint of a two story building, small and with not many escape routes apart from the windows.

"Cap?"

"We go in- Rumlow and Rollins, you take the fighters out. It's preferable that we get them alive, the Bolivians made it very clear they won't like it if we kill anyone, so make sure anything self defence comes from really believing that you can die in the moment. Clint, I want you taking on stragglers, use your distance if you need. Natasha and I will get the weapons safely locked in the containers at the cubby hole. Before we go, we'll take a look at the heat signatures inside, get a count then ensure we have everyone after. If the Bolivians don't come in earlier, they'll come in to make arrests. Our job isn't to arrest anyone, that is a domestic matter for them, not us. They'll be evacuating surrounding areas during the operation to ensure no civilian casualties, but not before as it will give us away. We'll put comms up when we get there- any questions?"

Everyone kept quiet.

"Perfect, let's go."

Continuing the faux tourist trek, weapons hidden in baggy pockets, they walked up in the scorching Bolivian sun. For some reason, Steve felt an impending sense of doom. There was something about the mission that felt so wrongly easy, so simple. It was seemingly the perfect mission, open and shut with the best people. It seemed too simple. Steve was worried that something would go wrong, but he really didn't know what exactly. Maybe he was paranoid, perhaps it was in his nature, but something didn't feel right with this.

"We have thirty five heat signatures," Rollins whispered as they hid in a ditch outside of the house, "Most of them packing heavy heat. There's a high concentration on the upper floor, that's probably where the weapons are. On the lower floor, they're spread out at entrance and exit points."

"Ok, on my signal, Natasha and I will go up on the higher floor, the rest of you in the ground. Right keep low, let's go."

Steve and Natasha crept up the side stairs, the other four ducked under the windows. After checking they had a good way to get in, Steve motioned with his hands.

"_Cumplimiento de la ley, ¡manos en el aire ahora_!"

To no one's surprise, the criminals started immediately firing at them. Steve pulled his SHIELD in front of himself and Natasha, the redhead former assassin returning fire whilst the captain used hand to hand combat to draw them away from the pair. Across the room, several men grabbed the briefcases and rushed downstairs with them.

"Equipment heading downstairs, intercept," Steve commanded into the comms.

Behind him, Natasha was single handedly taking down every criminal. She was the single best hand to hand combatant at SHIELD, not even Clint came close. Watching her was hypnotic, she moved so quickly that any video would have to be slowed down to show how she truly worked. Working her way through the room, she used deadly kicks and arm twists to have the men unarmed and unconscious on the floor.

Steve had barely blinked by the time she'd taken them all down alone.

"It's not a movie Rogers, get down there," she told him playfully, a wink headed in his direction.

Steve responded with a small grin, rushing down the stairs. On the lower floor, Rumlow, Rollins and Clint were still trying their hardest to take the rest down. With the rule about not taking life, even in self-defence, being in strict diplomatic effect, they were finding it difficult to take anyone down without administrating a kill shot. Several of the criminals had formed a semi circle around the men with the briefcases, backing him against the wall in order to protect them from the SHIELD agents.

"What the hell are we supposed to do if we can't gun the bastards down?" Rumlow yelled, "I can get kill shots from here, just let me get them!"

"We can't!" Steve yelled back, "We gave the Bolivians our word and as we are in their sovereign land, we respect that, as we would want to respect us."

"Cap, you haven't been in the game as long as I have- these rules are made to be broken, we don't listen to that."

"I am in charge of this mission Agent Rumlow and I have said that you must avoiding killing to the best of your ability. That is clear, is it not? We need to work out how to smoke them out."

Before he could say anymore, the door burst open and everyone's hearts stopped. Rollins had failed to mention that they were next door to a day care.

The criminals were holding at least a dozen children hostage, the little ones held by the scruffs of their collars with guns being pointed right at their heads. As one could expect, they were squirming, screaming and sobbing at the nasty people who had grabbed them from their playing. There was one adult hostage amongst them, a woman they assumed to be their minder.

The terrified lady yelled out something in Spanish that Steve did not understand. Annoyed with her, the man holding her hostage immediately pistol whipped her to the point she fell silent. Her head thrown downwards and limp on her neck, the action caused an immediate commotion amongst the children.

Marques, the man whom Steve knew to be the leader, yelled at them in Spanish to be quiet.

"Hello Americans," he spoke in heavily accented English, giving them a toothy grin, flashing a gold tooth in the top corner of his mouth, "This clearly did not go how you wished it to, did it?"

"You'd kill your own countrymen?" Steve interrupted, "You would kill children."

"That is rich coming from an American- you have children dying in the streets, shot by their brothers and sisters. You bomb countries, killing children in schools and babies in the hospitals. You feel it right to lecture me on this."

"My country has it rights and its wrongs, just as yours does. We don't live in a perfect world, but nobody here with me would happily put a gun to a child's head in order to protect weapons that will kill even more innocents. Believe me when I say that we do not want to kill you, or any of your men. We can negotiate this where everyone here walks out alive, you and your men included. Blood doesn't need to be spilled. If you let the children and the teacher go, then we can talk."

"You're telling me that if there was a nuclear threat, you wouldn't threaten the life of a child to get it out of the wrong hands."

"There are ways out of things that don't involve violence."

"Says the righteous man with a huge gun and a shield."

Steve bit his lip, eyeing the faces of the terrified children. Their eyes wide, they were silently pleading with Steve to stop Marques.

"Can we at least negotiate to let the youngest children go?"

"Nah, they're the most fun," Marques grinned, "I bet you believe in universal morality, that even the worst men won't kill children because they can. Do you know what they call me? The Bloody King. I spill the blood of men, women and children on the streets of La Paz. I do not care about murdering a few little children. They will grow up to be labourers and prostitutes, nobody of means. These children aren't important. I would murder my wife if I had to keep my business, she's just there to give me satisfaction- and I have whores for that. Perhaps we can play a game, I can do counting games with the child and the first one to live has his head his blown off. Deal?"

"You're a sick sun of a gun."

"I know. Now, I think it's a good idea to let my men go. If you do, I might consider letting them go. If you piss me off, I'll kill the littlest and the cutest one."

Steve turned his face to Rollins, who shook his head to indicate that the Bolivian Special Forces weren't in the vicinity. That means they had no back up to rely on. Even with Natasha's fast reflexes and Clint's sharp shooting, there was no way they could get them all without the children being in the crossfire. The only option was to let the weapons out.

It was a Catch 22 situation- they let the weapons out and they could cause a catastrophe beyond their wildest expectations. If they didn't, the kids and the teacher would be certainly dead. There was no guarantee that Marques' men wouldn't kill them anyone, their leader certainly had no qualms about the murder of children.

Steve could feel the eyes of his team on him, waiting for him to make a decision.

"God, you're boring me," Marques indicated to one of his men.

The smallest child was pulled forward, a tiny girl of no more than three or four. Long chocolate hair topped with a bow, she was the picture of adorable and cute. Her tiny face was filled with terror, her barely formed hands clenched in tight fists. The girl's entire body was shaking as a barrel the size of her face was pressed against her temple.

Steve felt a visceral anger at the sight of the little girl who could be about to die. This tiny one should be playing with dolls and finger painting, not being terrified beyond belief.

"There is zero need for this- you do not need to murder a kid."

"I wonder how her Madre will react. Weeping at her dead body in the morgue, burying her with a priest over the graveside. The marriage will fall apart, the daddy will have affairs to cope with the pain and the mummy will drink herself to death. Her siblings will have no idea; maybe her grandparents will have to look after the remaining ones. Can you imagine burying a child? I bet that's so hard for them. Maybe they'll blame you Americans or the government for not enforcing the laws properly. I don't know, but what I do know is that it will be all on your good All American Boy consciousness. You'll have to live with the sight of her bloodied body for the rest of your life and that is the biggest victory that I can claim over you."

There were no angles for which anyone could take a shot. Even if they could, it would cause utter chaos and there could be a higher number of casualties. Whilst Steve couldn't pretend he'd be too upset if any of the criminals died, he knew that the diplomatic relations needed to be preserved in order to ensure future bilateral co-operation.

"I can offer safe passage for ten of your men in exchange for the safety of the ten youngest children. I can promise we won't go after you, any of us. There are more of you than us; you can guarantee that none of us will run, especially with the remaining children. Then we can negotiate the rest of the departures, including you. Is that a deal Mr. Marques?"

Marques snorted, his finger pressed even tighter against the trigger.

"Bless your misguided American heart," he sniggered, "No. Not on my life-ʺ

He couldn't finish his sentence because a bullet hit his chest in a perfect kill shot. This shot released the pressure from the weapon, which fell against the ground. This let off an accidental shot, which fired between the legs of several people and lodged itself into the wall.

Steve turned to see Rumlow, smirking.

Then came the chaos.

The little girl screamed, rushing back to the school group. Steve nodded to Clint and Natasha to evacuate the kids, before he, Rumlow and Rollins surrounded the remaining group. Legs and arms flailing, it was only a short amount of time before the briefcases were in their possession. As soon as the criminals were subdued, Steve stomped over to Rumlow.

"We will be talking about this as soon as we get back to the apartment," he hissed, before going over to greet the head of the forces.

After hour and a half handover, the quintet walked back to the apartment, Steve seething with tranquil fury. As soon as the door was shut and everyone inside, the blond walked straight over to Rumlow.

"What the hell was that?"

"I killed the main guy, no kids were harmed and we have the weapons safely in storage. The Bolivians have no problems, everything is fine."

"I made it very clear when I outlined this mission. You could have hit the little girl."

"But I didn't," Rumlow replied smugly, "It was a risk, but I took it and it paid off."

"I wouldn't even want Agent Barton to take a shot like that, his eyesight be damned. Had Marques even moved the girl slightly, it would have gone straight to the top of her head and killed her instantly. Even if she wasn't dead straight away, it would have only been a matter of time before she died in hospital. Oh and Marques' gun going off was a brilliant move, it could have hit anyone if we hadn't have been so lucky with angle. The chaos afterwards, we could have seen more casualties if we didn't have the correct training. Anyone one of those children or the teacher could have been collateral damage. That move was not only incredibly risky, but dangerous. We need to keep people on side so that we can continue co-operating, getting rid of criminals like this. Not only were they weapons dealers, they were willing to kill innocent children. Yes, we couldn't have known they had hostages but that made the situation ten more hazardous."

"Well it worked, didn't it?"

"Your arrogance could have got a child killed," Steve yelled back.

"You're being a bit dramatic Cap," Rollins interjected.

"I didn't ask you," Steve told him before turning back to Rumlow, "You may think that you're awesome because you nailed that shot, but let me tell you, there's a reason we worked as a team. We were given specific commands-ʺ

"Correction, _you _were given specific commands, which you relayed to us. As team leader, maybe you should have adapted them a little better for the situation. I did what I thought was best."

"There's a reason we're a collective unit, not a bunch of men running around with separate agendas. What I expect from my teammates is co operation, not them being all maverick just because they think that they can. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. You didn't think of the consequences before you took that shot. If that hadn't have worked out so well, we'd have a little girl in a morgue and possibly other children on the slabs. The families would have lost children, the Bolivians would rightly be pissed and we would not be able to fight people like this in future."

Rumlow rolled his eyes, grabbing a toothpick between his lips.

"I'm sorry; did I just say something to annoy you?" Steve snapped, "Because last time I checked, I was in charge of this mission and you are all my responsibility. Do you think Romanoff or Barton would have done something like that?"

"You come from a different time Cap. You're all wide eyed idealism. Quit with the perfect 1940s routine Rogers, you ain't shit because you're Captain America. The only reason you're in charge is because you're all over my history textbooks. Fury's a Cold War veteran with a certain romantic nostalgia for the past. Just because you saved over three hundred men from a POW camp and apparently single handedly liberated half of Europe doesn't mean you're the bee's knees. I've been at SHIELD a long ass time and I know how I work. I'm not STRIKE's commander for no reason, I am a highly trained operative and I'm damn good at it."

"You are good, but you don't need to be arrogant and you sure as hell don't need to be a glory hunter. If that kid had died, that would have been on you."

Steve jabbed him in the chest, having a good couple of inches on Rumlow.

"I've seen kids die in missions, it's sad, but I can sleep at night."

That's when Steve lost it.

"You DO NOT minimise the death of civilians, especially children. I don't care if you've watched an entire school blow up; this is not some passé 'sad' thing. You don't understand this, do you? Those arms in the wrong hands could kill and injure thousands. Even someone not necessarily a criminal could have a power trip on those. This was a serious mission, not a lark for you to show what an awesome shot you were."

"Alright boy scout, whatever you say," Rumlow shrugged, "I'm sure you'll have a great time tattling on me to Fury."

"I wasn't actually going to make that big a deal out of it, but perhaps you're giving me a reason too," Steve hissed, "Whatever, I'm dealing with this later."

Throwing his SHIELD down, he put his wallet in his trousers and headed to the door.

"Where are you going now?" Rumlow yelled from the other side of the room.

"I am going back the market to get that wrap for Emily."

"Alright, you go get your precious little follower a present, run away from your responsibilities," Rumlow shouted as Steve shut the door behind him. Taking a deep breath, the blond resisted the urge to punch something.

Getting his phone out, he typed in a message to Emily.

_Mission over, wanted to kick Rumlow up the ass. Can't wait to get back, I'll tell you everything._

Sighing, he headed out to the market.

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed it!**

**Question: what would you guys like to see in the next chapter? I have a rough sketch for how the story is going to play out but am struggling to fill in the non-essential chapters. I can promise the remaining Avengers will debut at some point. Do you want?**

**Another Steve/Emily bonding episode**

**Some Coulson love**

**Something completely different.**

**Let me know if you can by review or DM, whichever is easiest **

**Next time: Whatever gift you guys give me. Anyone who inspires the chapter will get a shout out.**

**Thanks again and can't wait to see you on the other side for Chapter 7 xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the love, keep the reviews coming! Glad that you're all enjoying it so far. We're on 72 follows and 44 favourites so far, which is great! X**

**Chapter 7**

"God I look hot."

Emily had never been a modest person about her looks; she only appeared so as not to be rude. She knew she was good looking, especially when she was dressed up. Right now, she looked fierce in a tie front shirt, high waist shorts and open toed boots. Hair loose and make up perfect, she was proud of how she looked. Bars were never the place to be fancy, but it was still more of a dress up than when she was at work.

Finishing up with a touch of red lip gloss, she smirked in the mirror.

Steve and his veteran friends were having another gathering and had invited Emily along. She hadn't wanted to intrude, but Steve had assured most of the others were bringing friends and partners. Once she'd learned that, she was more than happy to come and support Steve, as well as meet the people he'd found kinship with. Steve was picking her up and dropping her home, which meant that she felt more comfortable with getting pretty drunk. He'd been insistent on that, not wanting her to go home in a vulnerable position. He was sweet, she liked that about him.

There would be mostly guys there and boy did Emily like military men. There was a sex appeal about them and many of them were physically in shape. Meeting someone wouldn't be too bad, she guessed.

Still, there was something inside of her that made one person more important than the rest. Emily was a 21st century woman in that she dressed for herself, but she had hope in her heart that Steve would think she looked great. Everytime she thought of Steve's chiselled cheeks and strong arms, she felt herself get in a daze- that man was pure sex appeal. Still, she had to pinch herself to remind her who exactly she was dealing with. Steve was a man out of time, vulnerable and probably still hurting in so many ways. She was his friend and though she wouldn't lie about how attractive he was, he was just that- a friend who she had come to genuinely care for.

Emily felt a responsibility to be kind to him. Everyone else treated him like a zoo exhibit, forgetting that he was a man thrown nearly seventy years into an unknown future. He had no family and nearly every one of his friends was dead or very old. Steve didn't know any pop culture, had made no real connections and was just lonely. He was a lovely guy as Steve Rogers and a hero as Captain America. Cooking for him and introducing him to pop culture was all she could do to help.

As she admired herself, her phone rang. It was her parent's home phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi sweetheart."

Emily was a family oriented person and loved both of her parents truly, but she had always been a daddy's girl. She was the apple of Tom Collins' eye, adored and showed off by her proud papa. Tom loved nothing more than boasting about his daughter, the girl who graduated valedictorian in high school and got a degree from Yale. They were close, Tom was proud of how good a woman she had become. He was also glad his little girl liked football as well; as he was worried she wouldn't be a Steelers supporter like him and Ethan.

There was also the side effect of Tom being the most protective dad in Pennsylvania. Emily was a pretty and popular teenager, which meant she attracted the attention of boys. Tom hated that, which meant he always had a gun in his lap when any boy, boyfriend or not, came over. He was a legend amongst Emily's classmate as the dad that everyone least wanted to cross. No wonder her dad was such a second amendment supporter- that and he'd trained his two children in gun safety ever since they were young.

"Hi daddy," Emily chirped, "What's up?"

"Your mother is at her music group so I am left to fend for myself."

"Poor daddy," Emily mocked. Emily's mother, Linda, played the piano and was part of a music group who regularly played performances.

"I know, it's a hard life. How's my little princess anyway?"

"Good thanks, about to go out to a bar tonight with some people."

"Anyone I know?"

"My friend Steve, he's new to work. He's a veteran, back in New York after years so he's made some friends from the VA. They're inviting people along to the bar tonight so Steve asked me to come."

"Just a friend?"

Emily sighed- of course Tom asked that.

"He is and even if he wasn't, I don't think you have to go around prying in my dating life."

"No boy will ever be good enough for my little princess, even if he is a veteran. You know I respect our men in uniform, but I will always be a father first. Anyway, you should be glad it's me on the phone. Your mother has started with the grandchildren stuff with Ethan and Kate; she is not a subtle woman by any means. If it was her on the phone, she would be a lot pushier than me. I've told her that you're not supposed to ask people if they're planning on having children but she won't listen to me, says it's ok to ask her son that. Honestly that woman. She keeps wondering if you're seeing anyone, she'll be on that soon."

"Fantastic- have you been busy?"

"Just campaigning for the elections, we're voting for everyone this time- Senate, Congress and the Presidents. We think we might get a few senior figures coming down to talk, Pittsburgh is usually lucky. Reagan held both you and your brother as babies, pretty sure we've had all the major candidates over the years. Have you thought about how you're voting yet?"

"Still a bit unsure, going to try to attend some debates and town halls if possible. None of the candidates for any have swayed me yet, I just wanna see where they stand."

"Governor Ellis supports law enforcement a lot; he's impressed me a lot with what he's said about safety of cops. I don't want whoever is in the Oval Office or representing me in Congress not supporting my little girl and my brother in law when they go out shooting the bad guys."

"We'll have this conversation when we get nearer November if I'm not convinced by election week. Anyway, I'm going to try to get a couple of days off in a few weeks, my vacation days are stacked up well, so I'll come down for a long weekend if that's ok."

"Of course princess, I always want to see my daughter. Just let your mom and me know when you're off and we'll ensure we're free. Your mom's performance is on 9th if that helps."

"I'll try to get those days off then."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Shoot, that'll be Steve. I've gotta go now daddy, I'll let you know if I can get the time off."

"I'll be praying for it princess, love you."

"Love you too daddy, give my love to mom as well."

"Bye darling."

"Bye daddy."

Steve knocked again. Emily cursed as she threw her phone in her bag, checked she had everything and that her gun was secure. Tom had taken Ethan and Emily to gun ranges ever since they were young to ensure that they were well trained and knew their safety. He kept his weapons locked away in the house but entrusted them with the codes when he decided they were old enough. This helped Emily a lot in basic training at SHIELD, for she'd been home at shooting ranges for years so knew exactly what she was doing. She'd scored pretty highly in the target practice elements. On top of that, Emily was adamant about security with her weapons.

Steve knocked one more time before Emily managed to get the door.

"Hi."

"Hey, thought you'd forgotten about me."

"Yeah sorry, I was on the phone to my dad. Do you mind if I run to the bathroom before we go?"

"No problem, I'll be waiting here."

Emily did her business and returned to Steve. Locking up, she noticed how her companion immediately offered his arm. She immediately took it, taking the opportunity to feel his muscular arms against her slender ones. God, she was turning into her friend Amber.

He was insanely buff though.

Steve immediately held the door open for Emily.

"What did your dad have to say?" he asked when they set off to the bar.

"The usual stuff, hoping to go down to visit them in a few weeks. Mom plays piano so maybe I'll get to see her performance."

"You're very lucky to have them."

Emily had wanted to ask Steve about his parents so much, but she just could not find a way to enter into the conversation. It seemed so private and impertinent. His parents had been dead long before he went into the ice, but they would have definitely have passed by the time he woke up had they still been alive. Steve had been a victim of so much tragedy in his short life, losing so many. Being frozen for sixty seven years was a pinnacle of it all, she couldn't imagine that much pain. Emily wanted to know the origins of who he was, the people he made him who he was.

"Are your parents, er, buried in New York?"

"Yeah, they're both in a cemetery in Brooklyn. My mom used to take me a lot, tell me about him. He sounded great."

"Can I ask what happened to him?"

"He died two months before I was born. He was an immigrant like my mom but he came alone after his family died. My mom's parents died before I was born, they both got scarlet fever in an outbreak and died. My parents met at Mass, my mom was helping with some kids and my dad was helping with the plumbing, that's what he did as a job see. They were together but you know it was restrained back then, nothing more than him accompying her to dates and walking her home. She lived in an all female boarding house; ma said that sometimes he'd sneak up to see her. It was run by the scariest nun of all time, Sister Mildred. Back then, no good Catholic girl would live alone with a boy- it was family or an all female boarding house. Then America joined the Great War. Pa joined after a few months and when on his last furlough, he and Ma created me. Then in May, she got that telegram. Seven months pregnant with no family, now a widow."

"That's awful."

"She did the best she could to get by, but a poor immigrant Irish woman was never going to do too well in that society. When I was born, Ma couldn't even vote. She was a nurse in a ward, it wasn't the career that it is today- no proper training, the doctors treated her terribly and her money wasn't great. I got sick a lot; she had to pawn things like jewellery to pay for doctor's visits and medicine. That's when I was glad to get...Bucky, he helped me. I'd come home black and blue from the school yard and she'd sit and soothe my bruises. When she died, I'd just finished high school and was working a painting job. She worked in a TB ward, that was so endemic back then, I knew so many people who go it. It was like polio and typhoid, the slum parts of Brooklyn had everything under the sun, and the water was just so disgusting. Anyway, she nursed people who had TB and she got it. Well, she couldn't shake it and I buried her when I was eighteen. I managed to save enough money here and there to get her buried next to Pa."

Jesus, how bad was Steve's life?

"I can't even begin to imagine the shit that's happened to you. I'm just so sorry about your mom; you know she sounds like the most amazing woman."

"She was," Steve gave her a sad smile, "Even when we barely had a penny to our name, she would be helping our pregnant neighbor give birth- days where you had ten kids- or give a reference for any jobless guy in the area. She was so good. People talk about Christian spirit but they don't practice it, she really did. Ma knew what it was like to be an immigrant with a religion people were scared of; she loved everybody no matter who they were. She never hurt anyone or was hateful, not a single person. Anyone who was ever horrible to us was forgiven. Ma prayed in church, she gave pennies in the collection plate every Sunday. When she died, pretty much all of Brooklyn turned out to pay their respects."

"If it's any consolation," if Emily had been a more emotional person, she would have been in tears right now, "You would make her so proud. I'm not just talking about the Captain America stuff and being in the military, she'd be proud of how Steve Rogers turned out. You're a great person with a solid heart who cares for all. What you've done and who you are, that's her legacy."

"You really think that?" Steve's voice cracked slightly.

"I really do," she put a hand on his thigh.

"Thank you, it means a lot, especially when I think about her."

An awkward silence fell upon the car.

"I'm looking forward to tonight," Emily tried to crack a lighter conversation, "Sam sounds really cool and it'll just be cool to meet everyone. I like meeting new people; it'll be a fun group. I'm also excited to get very drunk because Prince Charming is taking me home."

Steve chuckled, "You don't have to call me Prince Charming Em."

"You're taking me home and saving me from an expensive Saturday night cab home. Any girl would call you that, especially with _that _jaw line."

"Jaw line?"

"You have a phenomenal jaw line Rogers, own it. Everyone has a really great feature or two- more like a dozen in your case."

Steve laughed again, Emily always tickled him.

"You do make me laugh."

"I am known for that," Emily tossed her hair back dramatically, "I saw Rumlow yesterday in records, I still can't believe how he was to you in La Paz, that was a total dick move."

Steve technically couldn't tell Emily about Rumlow due to confidentiality but that had changed when the man himself had confronted his captain. Emily had been in the break room with Steve when Rumlow, with Rollins in tow, had walked over to ask if anything was going to be reported about what happened in Bolivia. Rumlow had straight up repeated what had happened, so Emily knew.

"He's a little inconsiderate."

"He's a total son of a bitch, that's what he is."

"Don't mince your words there."

"Can't stand him, never had and never will. He's super creepy and God he's the most arrogant person ever. Yeah he's a talented guy but I have never met anyone so full of themselves. I wish I was there for you chewing him out, I'd record it to watch when I'm sad. Good for you for standing your ground, I imagine he was quite the ass."

Steve decided to leave out that Rumlow had mentioned Emily more than a few times in disparaging ways.

"He was, to put it politely."

"If he ever bothers you, let me know and I'll put him in his place. Let me tell you, I'm not scared of that bastard, especially when it comes to my friends. He needs telling he's not hot shit because he really thinks he is. Honestly, so big headed and thinks he's the boss. I would have yelled the over loving shit out of him if I was with you, him disrespecting you was so rude. Such an asshole."

"I'm sure it won't be necessary."

"I hope not, but I won't hold out much hope for him. Look, we're here now."

Steve stopped the car outside, opening the door for Emily as soon as he was outside. The owner of the bar was a veteran and Sam had basically hired it out for the evening. It was nicely busy inside, not too many people but enough to give it an atmosphere. Steve recognised many of the vets, along with partners and friends. From the middle of a scrum, Sam popped out.

"Hey Cap, you made it!" Sam gave him a man hug, "Great to see you bro, you'll sure be a hit."

"Glad to be here," Steve smiled, "Sam this is Emily, Emily is this Sam."

"Well Steve told me all about you, but he failed to mention your beauty. Enchanté mademoiselle."

He kissed her hand.

"If this is the best you can come up with, I pity you."

Sam burst out laughing.

"Kitty's got claws," he laughed, "Well sit down, that actor friend of Joey actually booked a big TV gig and he's given us an open tab so everything in on him. Bartender is over there, we have pool, games and a jukebox. Karaoke is open later, gonna give some Marvin Gaye a go- are you guys going to sing?"

"Absolutely," Emily grinned.

"Absolutely not," Steve shook his head, "I don't sing."

"Whatever man, you can just thrash us with pool. I'll be back in a sec, Joey is looking super shaky."

He clapped Steve on the shoulder, heading away.

"God I love it when I don't get to pay for drinks, I can usually get away with not paying half of the time."

"How is that?"

"I look at the nearest guy I think I can pry, check there's no ring because I'm no home wrecker, then I make my move," Emily tossed her hair back, "I must be paying small town Texas prices instead of what they charge us in New York. I've always been incredibly good at budgeting you know- and flirting, but budgeting too."

Steve laughed again, "What do you want?"

"A million dollars would be nice, but a Tennessee Mule would be great thanks."

"One Tennessee Mule and pint of beer please," Steve ordered.

After they got their drinks, Steve guided Emily to a row of booths where some of the other veterans were. He introduced Emily to them, whilst they introduced the people that they came with. Steve was struck with how charming Emily immediately was, completely at ease with a new social situation. Everyone else was already eating out of the palm of her hand without Emily boasting command of the situation. Smile on; she was already the perfect guest.

Steve was impressed with that. Even people more confident than him were shy in social situations, resorting to small talk, but Emily was straight in. She was poised and without fear, sitting upright and addressing everyone clearly, looking them in directly in the eye. Every part of her exuded confidence. He'd noticed that about her, she was so confident and self-assured. When they'd met, she'd immediately spoken openly to him and was also read to kick Bridge's ass.

She'd put her head on his shoulder as she talked. That was another thing about Emily, she was openly affectionate. She wasn't afraid to put an arm around him or hug him when she was happy. Steve was surprisingly comfortable with that, especially for someone who was very strict with his emotions and body. Emily had only ever done it when she knew Steve was ok with it, for he always reciprocated that affection and never asked her not to. They were strangely secure with one another; his arm was now around her waist.

Jodie, one of the Afghan medics, was in the middle of a story about her yelling at a police offer there.

"...So this guy is all like 'I don't want to hear this from a woman.' I bet this guy is the type that insists all women wear the burka and stay inside their house. He won't listen to me, he's yelling that I'm wrong until I'm blue in the face- he hasn't got heart problems and he won't be touched by a woman. Anyway, this guy comes back a day later and arrests right in front of me. There had been a mortar attack at a playground earlier so we were swamped with kids who had all sorts in their bodies. Anyway, I am the only one who can save him and I damn well do it. When he wakes up, I'm smiling down at him and he knows his life is in my hands. Karma is a real great thing."

Everyone around them laughed.

"Go girl," Emily hi fived her.

"So how long have you guys been dating?" Jodie asked Steve and Emily.

"Oh, we're not..." Emily started.

"We're friends; we're not together," Steve continued, "Close though."

"Are you sure?" Jodie asked, motioning between the two, "There's insane chemistry between you."

"Nope, nothing," Emily assured.

"Your loss Rogers, a fine girl like that won't stay single for long, you'll be missing out," Tim, an older guy who was part of the second Gulf War, pointed out.

Emily smirked at the compliment, tossing her hair back.

They continued talking happily, Emily continuing to be the most charming person in the room. Steve couldn't lie when he said he felt his heart flutter when her head rested against him and how a tingle went down his body when he put an arm around her waist. He liked it when she was close to him, she felt happy.

Steve was one of the very few not getting too drunk, but it wasn't like he could anyway. Emily was necking every shot offered to her but seemed to have a very strong constitution as she wasn't getting tipsy as quickly as the others.

Somebody had put the jukebox on blast and people were starting to get up to dance. Emily immediately hopped up, turning to Steve hopefully. She held out a hand, batting her eyelashes at him in order to get him in. Not being able to resist her charms, he decided to entreat her with at least one dance.

He was immediately rigid once they got on the floor. Emily, the trained dancer, looked flawless as she moved around, every part of her shaking with grace. This contrasted to Steve, who looked like a constipated zombie. He wasn't the worst, not by far, but he was easily the worst sober dancer. Raising his arms slightly, he tried to keep up but completely failed.

"You need to loosen up honey," Emily went forward, guiding his body with her hands, "You're just so rigid and stiff; loosen those joints like how you'd oil a door joint. Come on, follow me."

He twirled Emily around, watching the brunette twirling around. She laughed as he caught her mid spin, positioned like they were in an old fashioned waltz. Watching their footwork, she showed him how to move best on the floor.

It was only then that something hit him.

The Stork Club, 8:00 on the dot. Peggy would teach him how to dance but he'd have to be careful, otherwise he'd step on her toes. Right now, in the middle of a traditional bar in 2012, he felt it all come flooding back to him. Instead of Emily, he could see Peggy in her red dress.

In a moment of panic, he dropped Emily's hands.

"Are you ok?"

Emily's soft voice of concern snapped him out of it. He looked down at her, her pretty face looking back up with worry written all over it. As soon as she spoke, the spell was broken. He was transported back to 2012 NYC instead of 1945 Europe. It was Emily dancing with him, not Peggy. It was a relief, but it had scared him. Emily being there was a comfort, it calmed him down immediately.

"Fine, fine," he faked a smile, "Just had a moment."

"Would you like to sit down? I can get a drink of water for you if you'd like."

"You're fine," Steve assured, "Don't worry Em, thanks."

When the song ended, Sam stood up on the stage.

"Hello to my fellow veterans and their guests. We've got a great turnout and I hope that I've got you all suitably drunk, especially considering none of us are paying. We're going to turn the jukebox off for a bit for karaoke. If you have a request, just go over to Jeff over here to ask and also to see the booklet of songs. There are seven microphones on stage so that's the maximum number. As I am a talented song master, I will be starting off with a little _Marvin Gaye_."

He did finger guns at the karaoke guy.

_I come up hard baby, but now I'm cool_

_I didn't make it sugar, playin' by the rules_

_I come up hard baby, but now I'm fine_

_I'm checkin' trouble sugar, movin' down the line_

_I come up hard baby, but that's okay_

_'Cause trouble man, don't get in my way_

Everyone whooped and cheered for him. His voice wasn't terrible, it was his smooth moves and strange presence that made it so entertaining. He moved around like Mick Jagger, rocking back and forth as well as side to side. Steve clapped outrageously whilst Emily wolf whistled.

"You're really not going to sing with me are you?" she asked.

"Sorry, but no way."

"Suit yourself," Emily shrugged, "I'm going to request something."

Kissing Steve on the cheek, she bounded off to make her request. After several songs that Steve had absolutely no idea about, Emily was finally up. Bouncing up on stage, she fluffed up her hair and received a delighted cheer from the audience.

_There's only two types of people in the world_

_The ones that entertain, and the ones that observe_

_Well baby I'm a put-on-a-show kinda girl_

_Don't like the backseat, gotta be first_

_I'm like the ringleader_

_I call the shots (call the shots)_

_I'm like a firecracker_

_I make it hot_

_When I put on a show_

Steve had no clue what the song was, but he enjoyed Emily's dominant charisma. She winked at him from the stage, smirking as she again had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. Once the song was over, she received a rapturous round of applause.

"How was I?" she asked when she walked over to Steve.

"Fabulous," they double high fived, "I'm going to get a drink, what would you like?"

"I'll have a gin and tonic please."

"Coming right up," she blew him an air kiss. There was quite a queue at the bar, but Emily seemed happy to chat to the others lining up.

Steve was about to sit down, but was interrupted.

"Hey, Steve?"

He turned around to see Eduardo, one of the guys he'd met when he first went to Sam's VA group. Steve towered over most people but Eduardo was a lot shorter, probably only just over Emily's height. Eduardo had been a Marine sniper in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Hi Eduardo, what's up?" Steve smiled.

"Not much, eh, just wondering something. Is your friend Emily seeing anybody?"

"No, she's not."

"Do you think maybe I should ask her out? Will she like me you think?"

"The worst she can say is no and even if she does, she'll be nice about it," Steve kindly assured, "I think she'll be interested though, definitely go for it."

"Ok," Eduardo beamed, filled with a newfound confidence, "I'm gonna go take a shot, thanks for being a great pal."

He clapped Steve on the shoulder and headed off to talk to Emily, who was leaning against the bar.

Steve didn't know why it bothered him so much as Eduardo made Emily laugh outrageously. She was his friend, a pretty girl who no doubt attracted male attention wherever she went. He should be happy for her, but instead he felt like he was being stabbed in the chest. Steve wondered what it felt like, being on the receiving end of Emily's romantic attention.

He scolded himself at the thought. Part of him reminded him of Peggy, but he had to realise it was never going to happen- she was very old, had two children and was widowed. Their lives were never meant to be spent together, she had done wonderful things as he'd been in the ice and found new happiness. Peggy didn't need him.

Steve watched Emily retrieve their drinks, bringing them over with a smile.

Maybe she would be one of the biggest parts of his new life. He'd never have what he had with Bucky with any other friend, that was a history that could never be beaten. Sam and Emily would be his dear friends, but nothing would ever compete with the memory of his best friend. Still, Steve couldn't stick with the past.

"Were you ok earlier?" Emily interrupted his self pity, "You just looked really out of it. You can talk to me about anything you know."

She put her hand on his.

"Just brought up memories of the past, that's all."

"Good memories?"

"Bittersweet."

"We don't have to stay if you're upset, we can go somewhere quiet or you can just drop me home," she smiled, "There'll be plenty of opportunities in future to have fun, there's no need to feel bad about ducking out now."

"It's fine, no worries," Steve promised, "It was just a moment."

"Whenever you need me, you've got me," Emily smiled up at him.

"I know, I know."

They were silent for a little while before they finished their drinks.

"Shall we dance?" Steve offered.

"I didn't think you were the dancing type," Emily remarked.

"Maybe with the right partner," he replied.

Steve stood up first, holding out his hand. Emily accepted it with a sweet smile and they moved onto the floor together.

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed it! Please, please review to let me know what you think and what you'd like to see next.**

**Next Time: It's pysch time for the agents, including Steve and Emily. Emily breezes through it, but Steve had some trouble with opening up.**

**Thanks again, don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Hope to see you next time xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMED**

**8 reviews and so many follows/favourites, thanks so much- keep the love coming.**

**Chapter 8**

Emily knew psych evaluations like the back of her hand.

She'd minored in psychology, meaning that she'd been immersed in the study of it when at college. Whilst everyone else complained about being analysed, Emily was always prepped and ready. She knew what questions would come up and what would be thrown at her. She'd seen the anxiety and depression score sheets more times than she could count. Emily knew what to tick and cross before she even entered the room.

Being at SHIELD could be tough, especially as agents. There was constant stress, near death experiences and seeing bodies. Agents often had to shoot or stab their way out of situations and all of them had taken lives, usually in self defence. The hours were long, most were away a lot of the time and they were under constant pressure. It wasn't like an office job where the worst thing you could do was misplace files, failing a mission meant very bad things happened.

This meant field operatives had to have psych evaluations twice a year, against the one that some other workers did. It was the time of year for the next crop of rotations, Emily included. She was given a date and time to stick to, which meant she was heading to the office right now. It would hopefully not be very long- Emily felt mentally fine, had no job problems and was otherwise clear headed.

Still, she knew that Dr. Reynolds would take her sweet time doing it. They'd tangoed before; Dr. Reynolds knew that Emily liked playing with her. She'd dig deeper as a result, try to get Emily. Emily couldn't pretend that her psych minor, from an admittedly prestigious college, could compare with the education and experience of Dr. Reynolds, but she wasn't going to play dumb.

Steve had his later today but obviously Emily didn't expect them to discuss it with one another. Whilst Emily was happy to convey her experiences, she respected the ultimate privacy of psychological sessions. Whatever happened in there was solely between Dr. Reynolds and Steve. Still, Emily imagined that Steve's session would be at least double hers.

They'd never really discussed Steve's inner emotions and his relation to what happened to him. The two were very close, but Emily was the talker. Steve was old school, shy and not someone who was open immediately. It was fair enough, it was extremely emotionally traumatic for him- away from all his friends in a far flung future and a man out of time. He'd at least spoken about his parents, but had remained quiet about Bucky or any relationships he'd had with women- if he'd had any. Anything else, she wasn't sure. Emily had tried to notice anything suspicious, just in case she felt something was wrong. She didn't plan to diagnose him herself, but wanted to look for classic signs. Steve had all the traits indicative of sound mental wellbeing, but these things were so easy to hide.

Emily just hoped she could help however she could.

Arriving at Dr. Reynolds' door, she knocked.

"Come in!"

Emily entered with a ready smile.

"Welcome Agent Collins, sit down- how are you today?"

Dr. Reynolds was in her early 40s, at least judging by her looks and college record. A tall woman with dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders, she wore her reading glasses on the end of her nose. She always managed to look sophisticated but intimidating, an air of mystery surrounding her. Dr. Reynolds seemed to be detached from the other agents, but it seemed to work because they still confided in her. Emily only knew her first name to be Shelly because someone told her a while ago.

"Can't complain," Emily tossed her hair back as she fell into the comfy seat, "You?"

"Also can't complain," Dr. Reynolds shuffled through the folders, "Ok so first questions as usual- no suicidal thoughts or wanting to hurt yourself?"

Emily shook her head, "No."

"Great, now please complete this questionnaire."

She did it in a matter of moments, circling 0 for every question and handing it straight back. Dr. Reynolds looked at her with an unimpressed expression, knowing that her client had barely bothered to read it.

"It's great that you feel secure mentally, but maybe focus on the questions next time."

"Well I felt able to answer quickly, Dr. Reynolds."

"I'm not playing games with you again Agent Collins; I hope you know that your sarcasm and wit will be cause for me to write down that you are being combative. You really don't want that, it'll just cause more of a headache in future. I don't find you amusing, I hope that you know that."

"Well, no offence, I don't give a shit if you think I'm Chris Rock or not."

Dr. Reynolds wrote something down.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a generally combative outlook?"

"I don't take shit, doc. If someone says something to me, I'll fire right back."

"I've noticed that," Dr. Reynolds remarked dryly, "Anyway, as much as you'd love to continue throwing barbs during our session, it's not productive and I don't get paid enough for this. Do you smoke, take drugs- legal or otherwise and drink alcohol?"

"I don't smoke and no drugs- the only thing in my body is my birth control implant. As for alcohol- I don't drink on work nights or if I'm on call, just in case. When I go out with my friends though, I'm pretty over the limit 99% of the time."

"Exercise?"

"I'm very athletic. I'll go running a few times a week, hit the SHIELD gym and I also practice my dancing. I've always been a very active person."

"Do you have any physical ailments?"

"Nope, fit as fiddle."

"Well that makes my life easier," Dr. Reynolds typed something on her computer, "Now; we need to get onto the actual evaluation. You've scored nothing for the anxiety and depression scale, so that is not something we need to talk about. As a field agent, you're obviously under immense pressure and psychological bearing. How do you feel when you pull the trigger of a gun and the person on the receiving end dies?"

Emily furrowed her brows, thinking that it was a rather odd question.

"The first time I killed a man, I was freaked. During the actual shooting I was ok, but then I just freaked out afterwards. I think most people likely will, humans have a primitive desire for self protection but death is not something many of us like. I got to learn, however. I don't like to be the one pulling the trigger, but I just feel sort of ok during it. These people, they're dangerous and I only do it if I'm in fear of my life. I know the world is a little better without these people. I was hired to do this, it's my job. The bodies aren't nice, but it's how it is. I wish I could say I wasn't completely numb to it, but it's how I feel."

"What about when you see the deaths of innocents?"

"The only one that stayed with me was the little girl killed in crossfire in Texas. The gunman used her as a human shield then threw her into the middle of it all. The rest of them, they're just faces that blur into one big one."

"Do you have nightmares about them?"

"No, or in generally. My dreams are weird- last night I dreamt I was riding a unicorn through some ghetto Walmart."

Dr. Reynolds continued to type.

"Do you feel that your job affects your social life?"

"Somewhat. I mean, I can't tell any of my friends who I truly work for, but I've always been someone who is a sociable person. I have lots of friends. Romantically, I think it's hard but not impossible to have a long term relationship of marriage. I'd like to have that, but I'm still young and I know I have time to wait. My romantic relationships are short, but I'm satisfied with how I am. I like being with men but I don't rely on them for my happiness."

"What do you do to relax?"

"Like I said, I'm an athlete, I like to run and dance. You will know this, but I love my movies more than anything else in the world. Football as well, big football fan. I feel I can separate my work from my social life with ease, I know how to switch off."

Dr. Reynolds continued to type.

"Alright, I'm happy with that. Now Agent Collins, you have a high IQ- not genius, but you're very intelligent. You have a degree in neuroscience from Yale; do you not feel that your talents are wasted in the field? It can be hard to stimulate."

"I love my job, Dr. Reynolds and I did my degree with the idea that it would be a back up if anything happened to SHIELD. I'm not worried about wasting it, but I would like more intellectual stimulation at work. Well, I guess I get to do strategy and stuff, but it's hardly the same."

"Do you ever feel wasted as an agent because you're not a high level scientist or asset like Agent Romanoff?"

"Agent Romanoff has skills, lots of them, but so do I," Emily shrugged, "I know my talents- I'm smart, I'm trilingual and I know how to read a person. I don't care about being the most infamous person at SHIELD, I care about being me. Just because I don't get to access my academic talents fully doesn't make me any less of an agent. I graduated top of my class in general, got the highest marks in target practice, hand to hand combat and social targeting."

"Does that not sound arrogant to you?"

"Like I said, I know my talents. I won't boast and say I'm the best person in the world, but I know I have a lot of talents I was either born with or worked extremely hard to get. Arrogance is not the same as knowing who you are. I got to be who I am because I don't slack, I know that. I don't like the presumption that I have arrogance in me. You'd be right to say you're excellent at reading people, you've proven that."

The two women were locked in a staring contest.

"Would you like to be a recognised figure someday?"

"If it's for the right reasons, yes."

"What would be the wrong reasons?"

"Being the niece of Agent Coulson classes as that. If I'm introduced, it's often as his niece- it was like then when I started, everyone knew me before I walked in the door because Uncle Phil has been at SHIELD longer than I was born. I love my uncle more than anyone and am proud to have his blood, but I want to be my own person as opposed to an extra on his stage. Do you understand what I mean?"

"That's interesting and yes, I do know what you mean," Dr. Reynolds pushed her glasses up, "I did want to discuss your uncle actually, so it's good you've brought it up now. Obviously, your uncle was technically killed by Loki just before the Battle of New York."

Emily squirmed in her seat, "Yes."

"Because of the nature of the situation, you were not told this- this was a ploy to get the Avengers motivated. How do you feel, knowing that your uncle could be dead?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"It's not a trick question."

"Well it sounds like that to me," Emily snapped, "They didn't tell me because I would have destroyed the room that I was in."

"Would your uncle being killed in action affect your performance?"

"Would the person I love most in the world being murdered upset me? Is the Pope Catholic, Dr. Reynolds? You just want to get a reaction out of me because I was snippy with you earlier."

Dr. Reynolds wrote 'defensive' down.

"You really are proving my point about being combative."

"Well excuse me for not wanting to think about my uncle. Let's put it this way: I found out my uncle was stabbed by a demi-God and nearly died- he would have if SHIELD hadn't intervened. His heart did stop for several moments and my last words to him would have been a text about British candy. Can you imagine telling my parents and my brother? Imagine me telling my grandparents they outlived their son. It's not being at all defensive if this is something that you know that I am upset about. My uncle was nearly taken from me. Even when he'd old and grey, dying at home, I will not be at peace with it. I think about it, the sceptre going through his heart. I think about him breathing too hard, blood around him. I don't need reminding of the fact, especially by a shrink. It's pretty unprofessional of you to bring something like that up, you know."

Dr. Reynolds stared her down.

"Are you quite finished?"

"It depends if you are," Emily retorted.

"You know that psych evals are arduous and that I must ask difficult questions. You're clearly upset by what happened- have you told your uncle?"

"I don't need to tell him that."

"Well that is down to you, but my door is always open if you find it affects you."

"I really don't want to be here apart from when it's mandatory," Emily coldly replied, "Look, you don't like me, I'm not a fan of you either, can we just get this over with?"

"What I find interesting about you, Agent Collins, is that you are a good person but you really have set feelings. If you like someone, you like them. If you don't, you don't. Tell me, why don't you like me very much?"

"I find you overly intrusive- even for a shrink, you don't like the fact I know how I stand and your office is weirdly boring."

Dr. Reynolds laughed for the first time, "I have to say, you're always the agent I look forward to seeing the most. Now, I've heard through the grapevine that you have become friends with Captain Rogers."

"I'm not spying on him for you."

"I wouldn't want you to, Agent Collins. I just wondered about it. When I look at you, I see a very interesting person. You're stubborn, temperamental and argumentative, very combative when you don't like something. What I do see, however, is someone with a tremendous amount of compassion. You clearly adore your uncle. With Captain Rogers, you befriended him immediately. I've heard that you cook for him, help him with movies and give him lessons. With you, I don't get the sense that you're doing it because you're a Captain America super fan. You do it because you want to help a person in need."

"That was my first motivation- I cannot imagine the raw pain. I can't imagine being thrown seventy years in the future, with everyone I love dead or elderly, or me just being out of the times. He's missed out on so much, from countries to popular culture. I see him, however, as mainly a friend. Steve is such a great person, always amazing to be around. He's shy but so sweet and he lets me talk all the time. I care about him."

"Would you say that you have a strong sense of justice?"

"I do. I was attracted to this job mostly because of my uncle, but also safe in the knowledge I'm writing wrongs."

"I'm curious if that fits in with your back up plans- what were your non-SHIELD career options?"

"Neuroscience obviously and I was vaguely attracted to the idea of being a doctor."

"I'd say they're compassionate subjects," Dr. Reynolds nodded, "I profile all of my clients, you know, just to see how they are. I see what I get from interviews, written reports and anything else. Do you want to know what I think of you, Agent Collins?"

"I get the sense you're going to tell me anyway," Emily snarked.

"Correct. You're an extremely intelligent woman, both academically and emotionally. You take orders well, but you have a stubborn streak and you don't like being questioned about certain things. Combative, like I said. You're social, open and the life of the party, someone who likes fun. You're very honest, but that can be detrimental when you're too open about your feelings. You have a huge temper and erupt easily, but you have a huge capacity for kindness. Unlike a lot of agents, I see a genuine sense of justice from you. You may not be sweet as sugar, but you are loyal to a fault. It's easy to like you, but you can be extremely manipulative for good or ill. If someone is your best friend, they really are. If you hate someone, you hate someone. You form opinions far too quickly, especially if you dislike a person. There's slight arrogance, but you're rightly proud of your achievements. Nobody works harder than you. You don't have the temperament to be director, but you'll be an amazing agent someday."

Emily blinked in surprise.

"Am I allowed to give my review of you or..?"

"That's not how it works and even if you could, I doubt it'd be friendly," Dr. Reynolds shook her head, "I have no lingering concerns."

"Am I free to go then?"

"Yes- but like I said, if your uncle's stabbing upsets you, door is always open."

Emily was already in standing position.

"I think I'll be alright waiting until my next mandatory psych eval," the brunette grinned, "Until then, I'll be practicing my jokes. See you later Dr. Reynolds, I am going to continue to be a menace until you retire."

"I don't doubt that."

"Chao," Emily air kissed, sauntering out.

Dr. Reynolds sighed. Taking off her glasses, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Not even Agent Romanoff gave her as much bother as Agent Collins; though she was damn glad she wasn't the unlucky bastard who handled Tony Stark.

LIGHT ME UP-

Steve really didn't know what to expect from a psych evaluation.

He didn't know how to talk about his feelings, or how that would be assessed. In the 30s and 40s, psychological issues were talked about in the dark- someone might be a 'manic,' a 'nervous sort' or 'very blue.' Those were the polite terms. You didn't talk about these things, you kept them to yourself. Your office wouldn't assign someone special to check if you were ok.

Therefore, Steve had been very surprised when he was told it was mandatory for him, twice a year. He was given a date and time, told to carve out some time for it. Like with all things these days, he went straight to Emily. She explained concepts and what kind of questions, emphasising privacy and honestly. Whilst Emily encouraged him to make the most out of it, he got the sense that Emily personally wasn't a fan of these sessions, but kept it quiet so not to discourage him.

"Just be honest, answer her questions however uncomfortable they are and ask questions back if you feel uncomfortable. If something strikes you as wrong, make sure Dr. Reynolds is aware of it. If you come away thinking she asked or said anything inappropriate, report it. Dr. Reynolds is very professional, but you never know. Never let her put words in your mouth, make sure you are direct. She is there to help you, remember that. Everything will be confidential unless she worries you're a risk to yourself or others. Dr. Reynolds will write reports with an outline, but privacy is key so there won't be anything personal in there."

Well, Steve had found himself heading to the office for his designated time. Nervously, he knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

He pushed the door open hesitantly. Dr. Reynolds saw it was him and immediately stood up, going over and extending her hand.

"Captain Rogers, nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Reynolds. Please take a seat, would you like a drink?"

"Water would be good, thank you."

Dr. Reynolds didn't break eye contact as she poured a cup, handing it to Steve. He thanked her quietly, waiting until she was also seated. As soon as she did, she pushed a piece of paper over to him.

"I'd like you to circle a number next to each statement or question. You'll see at the top here what each number means. Oh, before you do, I have to ask this to each agent- do you have any suicidal thoughts or thoughts about harming yourself?"

"No ma'am."

"Ok, just complete the sheet."

Steve took his time- most of them didn't apply to him, but some did. He circled them all and handed them back.

"Ok, let me look," Dr. Reynolds put her reading glasses on again, "Well if I look at the scores, you clearly don't fit the criteria for anxiety or depression, but you have circled some. I think we should talk about them. So you sometimes cannot fall asleep?"

"Yes, a lot of the time. I find it hard to sleep in a comfortable bed; I'm used to army beds, the floor or flimsy mattresses. I know that it's not just me; veterans I know have the same problem. I keep thinking that I'm going to fall into the mattress, it's so soft."

"Do you get bad dreams?"

Steve paused for a moment, before lying, "No, I don't. If I do, I don't remember dreams- good or bad."

"You also say you have trouble relaxing."

"That's always been my case, ma'am. With everything that's happened, I feel like I can't catch my breath. I'm not really caught up so to speak, I never really know what's going on- the news, politics, popular culture or just anything in general. I can't just sit still and read a book or film and get drawn in, there's always other stuff going on. After what happened with the aliens in New York, I'm always wondering what the latest threat is."

"You also worry for the future?"

"Well I don't know what my future is. I guess I'm staying at SHIELD, but I don't know what else. It could change in a moment. I thought I'd hopefully survive the war with my best friend, the best friend who didn't make it. I thought I'd marry, start a family, but it's no on the cards for me. Worry might not be the right word, it's more like apprehension. I don't really know what to do."

Dr. Reynolds nodded as she typed.

"This is more of an assessment than anything, but judging by what you've said, I think that it won't be covered in one session. We'll move on for now, but we're going to get back to it. Do you take drugs- legal or otherwise, drugs or alcohol?"

"I don't take drugs and don't smoke. I drink alcohol but it doesn't affect me."

"Assuming that's due to your metabolism?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Do you exercise?"

"Yes, very regularly."

"No physical ailments?"

"No ma'am."

"Alright that's good," Dr. Reynolds typed up, "Now, this may be an uncomfortable topic but I have to ask about this. You were put under ice for nearly seventy years. Everyone you knew is either dead or elderly. You've missed out on countries being formed, important wars being fought and history happening. Others may not have lived through it, but they were aware of it and learned. You've gone through so much- how do you feel?"

Steve was surprised by how blunt she was.

"I didn't have too many personal connections as in family, but I made friends during the War that I miss. I've woken up a world full of missed opportunities and a world that's passed me by. I can't keep up with movies or TV shows, I don't know the references. There's no one that has experienced what I have so it's not like I can share in that. The life I'd planned out has no bearing on now. I'm a man out of time, I guess. It's not something that can be put into simple words."

"Do you feel despondent?"

"Yes and no. I often feel a bit out of it, but I'm willing to get on with my new life because it's not like I have a chance to go back. I'd like to say that these things happen, but I'd say I'm a rarity. We're often dealt a bad hand in life and I think the best way is to just plough on."

"You have a right to be upset you know."

"I guess I'm just not wired that way ma'am."

Dr. Reynolds leaned back in her chair, "Why don't you tell me about your life outside of SHIELD for a moment? Have you made any friends outside of work? What's your social life like? Are you getting on with pop culture?"

"I found a veterans group led by an ex parachute rescuer called Sam, I hang out with them sometimes. My social life is acceptable, but I can't say that I am the life of the party so to speak. I try to go to places if I'm invited. As for pop culture, I'm watching and reading that I'm told is important, but I have nearly seventy years to catch up on so it's not like I'm close."

"Well that's a good step. Do you feel work impedes your social life?"

"SHIELD does keep me busy, yes, but I find that I'm able to make time for people."

"Good. Onto a different question- do you feel any discomfort when you kill an enemy?"

Steve gulped loudly.

"At first, when I joined the army back in '42, I didn't plan to be the guy who took lives. I didn't like the Nazis, they were evil and I don't like bullies. Back then, I didn't know how evil they were, but even without hindsight I wanted to give them a kicking. Then...then I lost people and I didn't care how many died. I don't want to be an assassin as such and I'd much rather go down the diplomacy route, but I feel it's sadly necessary. It's not like I don't sleep at night, but I regret the violence."

"How are you affected by collateral damage of innocents?"

"I saw dead bodies of French villagers stacked up. When you see them, you're reminded WHY you're fighting. Sometimes I think about who they are but then after a while, it all blurs into one. I'm not hugely affected but I do try to avoid it. This may change in this era, but that's how it was for me. I suppose that it might be different, but I suppose innocents will always remain so."

"You mention that you lost someone- who?" Reynolds asked.

"My best friend, Bucky."

"Of the Howling Commandos?"

"He was more than that; he was the best friend in the world. We met as kids at school; he was the only reliable friend I had because everyone else picked on me. He looked out for me, beat up my bullies and helped me plan my mom's funeral. Bucky, I thought I lost him one time and I was thrilled to get him back. Then I watched him plunge off a train into the Alps. That's when I stopped caring and wanted them all dead."

"Do you still desire that revenge?"

"That battle is won. Well, I know there are Nazi fringe groups throughout the world, but Schmidt and Dr Zola are dead and HYDRA is no more. I don't want revenge, I want justice. When I see a situation go south, I can't ignore it- whether it's a terrorist group in the Middle East or a shoplifter downtown. I want to be for the little guy. SHIELD has given me that chance to be back in the game. Revenge, revenge is meaningless now."

"Did you lose any romantic interests?"

The thought of Bucky had hit him hard and now the same thought of Peggy did. She was the only one he'd ever loved or had a chance with. Bucky may have been his first and best friend, but he'd become close to the Howling Commandos afterwards. No girl had ever been interested in him, but she'd been kind ever since they first met. To him, she was the most beautiful girl who ever lived. He'd missed it though.

Life had been kind; it wasn't like Peggy had needed him. She married a member of the 107th and had two beautiful children. She'd founded SHIELD, been its director and a pioneering woman in the intelligence community. Right now, she was in a nursing home in her native London- old, but with a full life. Steve always knew she was destined for something great and he'd been proven right. He always planned to propose to her after the war but it wasn't meant to be.

He would never forget her though.

"That's private," he defensively replied.

"Are you interested in being with anyone?"

"I left someone I loved behind; I don't think romance is high on my mind."

"Not to diminish what you had in the 40s, but you're allowed to move your heart along. People lose their loves through death and break ups but find themselves with new people. It's hard to hear, but you aren't going to have that shot with the person you loved back then. It sounds like you're holding back in a lot of ways."

"Well it's not high on my mind, like I said," Steve responded, his manner short.

"Ok," Dr. Reynolds held her hands up in a surrender position "Are you finding that you are getting on with people at SHIELD?"

"Yes, but most of them still treat me like I'm still part of their history textbooks. Other than that, I find everyone to be perfectly civil but I can't imagine it's an organisation that's known for its friendliness. In general, I am happy to work with most- they are consummate professionals and I know that I am working with the best people."

"You can say that again," Dr. Reynolds muttered as she wrote that down, "Now, I notice that you've become friends with Agent Collins."

"Yes, she's become very dear to me," Steve had a huge smile on his face as he thought of her.

"How did this friendship come about? You seem to me an odd pairing."

"Well I was training recruits and one of them was being arrogant. Em happened to be training in the gym so she invited him to a fight and kicked his ass. I thought she was awesome straight away. Then moments later we're on a mission together. We don't talk much, but she's pretty cool to me. The next day she sits near me writing reports, offers me a granola bar and that's when we begin talking. Em's been a giant help, especially with movies, I swear she's seen every one. Oh and my God, her cooking is incredible, her food is just amazing. She gives me her leftovers, saves me from the microwave meals I'm so used to. I mean, she's so different- so open and loud and talks a mile a minute, uses me to get out of bad dates and brings me alcohol, but I really like her. Behind all how brash she is Emily's really great. She treats me like everybody else and makes me laugh so much. She had a great heart and I'm really glad I have her. We both went to this bar that I was invited to by the veterans' group, everyone loved her, and she was the life and the soul of the party. I appreciate having her around."

"I am glad for you. These kinds of friendships are an important anchor. Look, I do this with all of my agents so I'll do it with you. I write a personality profile, from my own personal interviews, previous evaluations and reports. Everyone has one, whether they're here biannually or not."

"Let me guess, I have one?"

"Of course- would you like me to read it to you?"

"I guess so," Steve shrugged.

"Good," Dr. Reynolds' voice had indicated he didn't have that much of a choice anyway, "You are at heart, a very good person. You're a phenomenal leader, a brilliant tactician and a force to be reckoned with. You're more law abiding than some, but you're not afraid to go down a different path if you know it's the right one. As a person, you're very polite, easy going and willing to be friendly. You do, however, hide your emotions and you are reluctant to be truly open with anyone. For some reason, you hold yourself back and limit yourself socially. You are reluctant to open your heart now, even though you do know that you can move on. Your sense of justice is your strongest asset and it's why you're Captain America. No one is braver. You're stubborn and often think of sacrificing yourself and your happiness before others. One day, you'd be a brilliant director."

"Well," Steve was never one to seek praise, "Thank you ma'am, that's very kind of you to say."

"You're one of my easier patients, Captain," Dr. Reynolds noted with a wry smile, "Look, from what you've said to me, I think you do need to talk to a therapist/psychologist more. You are not adjusting as much as you think you are, at least emotionally. You've gone through a hell most of us couldn't even imagine in our worst nightmares. There's no shame in talking about it. I'm not a specialist in trauma so I can give you some numbers of the best people that'll be covered by your insurance, but I am happy to speak to you if that's what you wish."

"I'm happy to stay with you, ma'am, but I'm not sure if I really want it to be a therapy thing. Maybe just a progress update?" Steve figured that it would be easier. He didn't really want to do this, but he figured it would be more of a talking thing."

"How about I give you two weeks? I'm booked solid with evaluations and once that's all done, I can give you a clearer date. I would like to see you on a therapy basis, but I can't force you."

"That would be wonderful, thank you for all your help."

He stood up, extending a hand, which Dr. Reynolds took.

"You are definitely an easier and nicer patient than most," she smiled, "If you change your mind on wanting therapy, let me know. Have a great day."

"You too ma'am."

Steve was about to leave when Dr. Reynolds called his name again, "Captain!"

He turned around, "Yes ma'am?"

"Think about what I said regarding holding yourself back," she sounded vague to him.

"Erm, I will, thank you."

He left the room, wondering why on earth Dr. Reynolds had said that to him. Steve really didn't want to let go of Peggy, but she was right to say that it wasn't an option- he had to accept that. He did wonder what it meant; it felt like a push to him.

Was it?

**Hello all, I hope you enjoyed the latest work!**

**Next time: Steve and Emily spend the night in a hotel for a mission. Their close quarters means that Steve is forced to reveal some inner hurt he's been feeling.**

**Thanks again, PLEASE REVIEW if you can- I won't hold the story hostage if you don't, so don't worry if you can't. Hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support as usual, doing super well on reviews **** xxx**

**Chapter 9**

_Go, go, go, go go, go, go, shawty_

_It's your birthday_

_We gon' party like it's yo birthday_

_We gon' sip Bacardi like it's your birthday_

_And you know we don't give a f-_

_It's not your birthday!_

Steve laughed as Emily, the least gangster person he knew, rapped along to the song that he knew absolutely nothing about. The drive was three hours, but Emily had helped him by teaching him about the first Gulf War, Vietnam and Korea. She had clearly listened in history class, being able to recall all the facts off the cuff. Whilst Steve's photographic memory helped him learn the basics, he had so much more history to study over.

He looked over at Emily. She looked immaculate, hair curled and her manicure a striking red. There was something about her that was extremely attractive and wasn't about her looks. Emily was like the sun and everyone else were like planets, they revolved around her. Everything about her, especially mannerisms, made her one of the most charismatic people she'd ever met. She could disarm an opponent with charm and a smile. Steve had immediately liked her, not just because she'd kicked the intern's ass. Her aura was unlike anything else, she was like sunshine.

The joy in Emily, that's what he liked. She was always so happy and carefree, open. That was her contrast with Peggy. They both had similiaries, strong women with smarts and strength. Peggy had been a warm presence, full of wise advice from movies, but had been cooler and not as easy to befriend. He supposed it was part of her image- she couldn't show anything that could be misconstrued as weakness. Most of the people didn't want a woman anywhere near in the position that she was. Peggy showed less emotion, whether positive or negative. She loved friends, but was distant to acquaintances.

Emily was opposite. She was an extrovert who always showed emotion, sometimes to detriment. Words of wisdom weren't her thing, she used actions instead. Emily had been helped by the barriers that women such as Peggy had broken down, so she felt less of a need to prove herself. She was also warm and much more than willing to be open. She immediately acted as though everyone was her best friend, unless she disliked them of course.

He'd been secretly thrilled when he'd found out he'd get to do a mission with Emily. The two worked well together, each bringing new skills to the table and complementing one another. Three hours in a car wouldn't usually be Steve's most favourite thing, but he could spend much longer enclosed in the vehicle if Emily was with him. All he hoped was that he wouldn't disturb Emily during the night, but he figured that if the beds were far enough apart, they'd be ok. His companion said that she was a deep sleeper anyway.

The nightmares weren't too loud anyway. He woke up in a sweat and thrashed around a little, but he wouldn't be noisy. If he could make it through the night without letting Emily knew about his bad dreams, he was ok.

To their right, there was the sign for their hotel. Steve kind of hoped that it wasn't too luxurious. He felt more comfortable when the bed was uncomfortable; it reminded him of his army bunk, the tiny bed in his Brooklyn apartment. He was looking forward to sleeping in a single tonight, his double made him far too lonely. The mattress was too soft; he wanted to fall through it. It felt too nice to sleep on, which would sound like an oxymoron to most.

Well, Emily had told him SHIELD didn't exactly splurge on accommodation. Therefore, it looked like Steve didn't have to worry.

He looked over at Emily, who smiled at him. Why did his heart skip a beat when she did that?

From the outside, the hotel looked perfectly fine. When Emily went to the trunk, Steve immediately grabbed the bags and hoisted them over his shoulders. Emily's was surprisingly heavy for one night. She smiled sweetly at him as thanks for his chivalry, taking one of his spare arms as they headed through the double doors.

Upon seeing Steve enter, the receptionist perked up.

"Hello there, I'm Lillian," she flashed a mega watt smile, "How can I help you today?"

"We have a reservation under Audrey Holmes," Emily all but snapped, using the fake name that every SHIELD agent often used, "For one night."

Lillian typed, her long nails tapping against the computer keys.

"Ok, I just need to see some chest...ID, I need to see ID," she corrected herself, having been looking directly at Steve's tight t shirt.

"Here," Emily slid it forward, glaring at the receptionist. Steve fumbled awkwardly under Lillian's metaphorical heart eyes.

"Thank you so much Miss. Holmes. Your room is 402; a lost key will incur a charge of $50. Breakfast is included in your reservation, from 7am to 10am we serve a continental breakfast. Lunch and dinner are also available in our restaurant; you should be able to get in. We have a small gym downstairs. Room service is available; everything is in the booklet in your room. If you order delivery, we request that you pick it up from the lobby and not allow access to your room. If there's anything else you need, just call down to reception. Is this a business or pleasure visit?"

"Business," Emily replied quickly.

"Have you stayed with us before?"

Both shook their heads.

"Well I sure hope you have a great stay. If you need me, I'm working long shifts this week so I'll most likely be on reception. I'm Lillian, if you need anything. Do you have any questions?"

"No, we're good," Emily snapped, "We'll be going now, thank you."

Steve followed Emily to the elevator obediently. The brunette had no idea why she'd been so angry with Lillian, it's not like she never lusted after hot guys. Hell, Emily thought that Steve was one of the most attractive men she'd ever seen. Steve was single and considering how hard she was flirting, she hoped Lillian was as well. He was allowed to flirt; she wasn't his mom or his wife. Still, she just felt a slight anger at it.

"So how did you choose your fake name?" Steve asked.

"Audrey after Audrey Hepburn, Holmes after Santonio Holmes, the MVP of the Super Bowl I went to. How about you?"

"Patrick Wiggins- Patrick was my father's middle name and Wiggins after my Brooklyn landlady."

An awkward silence fell over them.

"So, erm, that receptionist seemed to like you," Emily decided it was best to make light of it.

"Yes," Steve nodded, clearly still uncomfortable.

"She's pretty."

"Well I've seen prettier," Steve stated, looking at Emily whilst her eyesight was elsewhere.

The elevator dinged on their floor, Steve politely letting Emily enter the room first. He'd been looking down when they entered, but when he did see the room, he became entangled in an internal panic.

In the middle of the room was one double bed. Not two singles, one double.

"There's only one bed."

"Yeah," Emily was distracted by the coffee pot.

"I'll sleep on the floor," he immediately offered.

Emily looked up, raising an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Well it's a double bed see, and we're not together or anything, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable. It's no problem the floor, I don't if it's appropriate."

"Steve, we're on assignment for one night. I've had to sleep in doubles with agents before or when I've stayed at friends' houses. I don't snore or move about- do you?"

"No."

"Then we're fine," she shrugged, putting her bag on the bed with a flourish, "Now, let's have a quick coffee and get on with this assignment."

Steve decided not to protest, merely praying that tonight would be one of his quiet nights. He sat on the bed and watched as Emily brewed the drinks.

LIGHT ME UP-

Several hours and one long stakeout later, Emily and Steve arrived back at the hotel with pizza and soft drinks. Lillian wasn't on reception, to the relief of both.

They lay on the bed, pizza on their laps and soft drinks on the side tables. Steve had three times the amount Emily did, his pizza the largest on the menu- he was always hungry and his metabolism burned so fast. The only one who could eat more than him was Thor and he wasn't even mortal. Steve was rigid and upright as he ate, whilst Emily lounged in a relaxed manner.

Her phone buzzed. Picking it up, she rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Remember that awful date I escaped from? Well Claire is teasing me about it," Emily clicked her phone off, putting it to the side; "Well we always talk about my love life- what about yours? Who were the hot chicks in the 40s?"

"None."

"None?"

"None," Steve confirmed, "Before the serum, I was short and skinny. Guys kicked me around and girls avoided me like the plague. After it, that's when girls wanted me but I was too busy in WW2. I was never the type to go through girls and that attitude; it's kind of stuck with me. Tony and Natasha keep asking me about dates and I'm just not interested. Any chance I had with Peggy was lost."

"Peggy as in Peggy Carter? She's one of my idols. Did you guys date?"

"It was only a kiss; even through all those years. She was so amazing, so strong and fierce. Before I became all big, she appreciated and supported me. Everytime I was stuck in a rut, she knew how to pull me out. She helped me rescue the 107th and comforted me when Bucky died. When I went into the water, she was the last one I spoke to. We were going to go dancing; I thought she was my right partner. I looked her up when I woke up- married to a guy that sounds wonderful, two kids and a pioneering career. She's in London now, dementia. I don't even know if anyone has told her about me or even if she'd remembered. Peggy, I thought I was going to marry her. Back then, things moved quicker, I thought I'd propose to her after the war. Things didn't work out that way. I shouldn't be so hung up, we only kissed, but I did love her. I can't even think about relationships without worrying that I'm betraying her somehow. She moved on and I can't."

"You can't betray her. As hard as it sounds, you're not going to be with her. She must have loved you too and it sounded like she kept your memory alive. Wouldn't Peggy want you to be happy?"

"I guess, I just can't imagine relationships now- like sex and dating, it's so casual."

"I have loved someone. His name was Danny, we were in school together. We hung around sometimes and at the start of sophomore year, he asked me out. When were both sixteen, we lost our virginities to one another. We were young and it was special, I got to have my first time with someone I loved. I can remember it well. In junior year, we just drifted apart and broke up. We remained friends and still talk from time to time. Look, I've not been with a lot of guys, but I've been intimate and dated more than a few. Sex can be how you make it, casual or full of love. When I'm with a guy physically, I know that it makes me feel good because I respect my body, respect theirs and know boundaries. I don't have to love the guy, but I know I do feel connections. When I was sixteen, I thought Danny was my world and that I couldn't live without him. Ok, so it's different to what you had with Peggy, but we both know what life without them is like. I can't compare those feelings, but I know that love isn't just for one person. Maybe you can have more than one soulmate. I loved Danny but I wasn't in love with him, you know. People divorce and get widowed, they find love more than once. One person isn't your entire soul. You might have married Peggy, you might not have. You can't live your life on hypotheticals. You're a good person. Steve, you are so kind and not to be too creepy, incredibly attractive. Any girl would be lucky to be with you because you have so much to give."

She put a hand on his.

"You're a great person too, you know that?" Steve asked, genuinely meaning it as he ignored his heart skipping at the contact.

"Your greatness relies on those who surround yourself with," Emily paused, "God I sound like a movie wizard or something. You mind if I use the shower first?"

"Go ahead."

Emily threw the empty takeout boxes away, grabbing her PJs and going into the bathroom. Steve opened the news app on his tablet but found himself more interested in Emily loudly singing in the shower. She was good, not singing superstar quality, but his ears remained intact. After a long time, she exited in an oversized tee.

"All yours honey."

"Thanks."

Steve had always been a man who didn't take too long to do things and his shower was efficient- in the army he had to be quick and he couldn't always rely on hot water in Brooklyn. He was in and out in no time.

When he exited, Emily found her jaw dropping. His perfect six pack was on full display, dripping slightly from the shower. He wore only baggy trousers, the rest of his physique personally physical. Emily was glad that she wasn't a guy, or she'd be having a really awkward boner right now. This man was a masterpiece; he should be an artist's muse.

Goddamit Emily.

"Emily?"

"Yeah?" she snapped out of her thoughts, realising that she'd been staring at Steve's chest. She just hoped he hadn't noticed that.

"You ok there? You spaced out there."

"Just thinking," Emily smiled.

Steve sat beside her, the bed dipping down as he went onto it. Emily grabbed the remote from the stand and pressed it.

"Let's see what's on," she clicked through the channels, "Ooh, _The Shining. _It's on your list._"_

"What's it about?"

"A guy called Jack is hired to be the caretaker at this hotel that's closed over the winter. He brings his wife and son; it's kind of a bad family relationship. Anyway, the hotel is supernatural and things start to go really, _really_ wrong. Perfect for hotel watching. It's based on a Stephen King novel, one of Stanley Kubrick's finest work and he was one of the great. Shirley Duvall and Jack Nicholson, he is one of the best actors around. The fact he didn't win an Oscar for this was a huge snub but De Niro won for Raging Bull and Hurt was nominated for Elephant Man, they were master classes in acting."

"Sounds good- I'm happy to watch it."

"Perfect, I came prepared," she leaned over, reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of popcorn.

"You're like a walking movie theatre."

"That I am. Now, let's make this comfortable. Shift your ass a second."

Steve did as he was told, watching as Emily made some kind of pillow fort. She grabbed the duvet and placed it over them both so they were snugly wrapped in it. The brunette smiled smugly at him as she pressed the channel.

He knew Emily enjoyed it, mainly because she was engrossed in it. When Danny wheeled down the hallways, Emily gripped his hand excitedly to indicate that a big scene was coming up. She quickly realised this, looking away embarrassed and blushing as she released his hand. Steve missed the contact.

They'd managed to become somewhat intertwined during the movie, Emily's head on his shoulder. Steve watched her mouth the words and react accordingly when something happened. Watching her was an experience in itself; she was always a joy to watch. He always thought that Emily would be a wonderful actress; she had some charm and ability to manipulate her emotions. Steve would watch her in any picture.

The movie ended.

"Did you like it?" Emily asked.

"I did; great film. I didn't quite understanding the ending though."

"Well it's supposed to be rather ambiguous, you draw your own conclusions from this see. Kubrick always had somewhat of a surrealist nature to his films. It's completely different to the book, Stephen King said it was poor and the only adaption of his works he'd hated- and he has had a lot of films based on his stuff. I recommend the book actually. Wait til after you've finished all the classics though. I've got it; just let me know when you want to borrow it."

"Thanks," Steve smiled.

He rolled over to open the drawer, revealing the Bible. Whilst he found that his faith was tested in the modern day, but he did find comfort in reading the good book- it reminded him of old times.

"Catholic?" Emily asked.

"Mass every Sunday as a child, baptised and confirmed. When you're the son of Irish immigrants born in the early 20th century, it's Catholic or bust," he laughed, "I was never religious enough to go through the priesthood, but it's something I've held with me. A lot of people have questioned their faith after aliens rained down on New York, I can say I have, but it's just something that keeps me grounded. What about you, are you religious?"

"Baptised mainline protestant- Presbyterian, pretty irreligious family. I only go to churches for weddings and funerals. I'll pray on my deathbed, just to be sure."

"You're awful."

"I know. What's your favourite verse then?"

"Colossians 3:12: 'Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.' It's nice."

Emily nodded before letting out a giant yawn.

"Are we going to call this is a night?"

"Yeah, good idea," Steve put the Bible back in the drawer, settling under the covers.

Emily wrapped herself in the covers, "Night night, don't let the bed bugs bite because if they do, I'll sue."

"Alright Shakespeare," Steve chuckled, "Night Em."

"Goodnight sweetie," Emily switched the light off, settling herself in.

She was off immediately, Steve could tell by the gentle sounds coming out of her mouth. He was impressed with that, as well as how still she lay. Meanwhile, the captain stared at the ceiling, watching the lights from the cars pass through the paper thin curtains. It was quiet, with the only sounds being of people walking up and down the corridors to their rooms.

It was probably not that long before Steve managed to sleep, but it felt like an eternity. He was jealous of Emily, so quiet and content in slumber. It was as though she wasn't there; she didn't even hog the blankets.

Steve sleeping was anything but peaceful.

_The train blew open, a giant hole gaping in the side. Bucky flew through it, his entire body going round until he managed to cling onto the railing on the outside. Steve rushed to the end, telling Bucky to hold on. He moved downwards to hold out his hand before something happened._

_It was as though his hand was transparent. Bucky seemed also to be stretching further and further away, the length of the train elongating between them. Steve desperately tried to grab Bucky's hand but he couldn't, his palm moved through his best friend's. He could see it coming, the railing about to give way. Still, he tried more and more, continuing._

_Just like clockwork, the railing broke and Bucky fell from the train. Even as it sped through the tracks, Steve could hear Bucky screaming and screaming. It pierced his ears, a foreign invader to his soul. _

He was half awake when he began thrashing in the bed, his limbs flailing. It was only when his arm hit Emily quite hard that she bolted awake, though Steve wasn't aware of this. He mumbled only one word throughout it all- '_Bucky.' _Still in the limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness, he continued to move until he was finally able to wake up.

Panting, he propped himself up with his elbows.

"Steve?"

He suddenly realised Emily was awake. She switched the light on before moving over to him, getting as close as she could without touching him.

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok," she soothed, "I'm here, I'm here. Settle down, I'll get you a drink."

She peeled off the covers and grabbed a glass of water for it. Emily practically forced it into his shaking hand, watching as Steve downed it like a dying man with medicine. She remained at his side, patting his back gently. Steve had stopped mumbling and was shaking a lot less than he was earlier, but he was still sweating all the way down his chest and back.

"Stevie?" Emily clicked her fingers in front of him, "Look at me, breathe with me."

Steve managed to get himself back into action, though his breathing remained shallow. Emily continued to encourage steady breathing, but it took a while before he was able to wake himself up to do it.

"Thanks," he managed to get out, "I'm fine, go back to sleep Em, I don't want to tire you out."

"You are not fine Steve, so don't even bother lying to me. How long has this been going on?"

"This was the first time."

"Steve, you are too damn honest to be a good liar. I'll ask you again and expect an honest answer: how long has this been going on?"

"Since I woke up from the ice," Steve admitted, hanging her head like a scolded child.

"How often does this occur?"

"About three or four times a week, so most nights really. I'm so sorry about this, I was worried about hurting you tonight and I did."

"Stop apologising to me," Emily put her hands on his cheeks, "Stevie, we're friends; you need to be honest with me. I want you to tell me what is going on."

Steve sighed.

"I see Bucky mainly, I keep reliving that day when he fell from the train. I see Peggy too; I can hear her voice telling me that we're going to go dancing. I can feel my mother dabbing my brow like she did when I was feverish as a little boy. Then there are the bombs and the guns, they're in there all of the time. It's mainly Bucky, it's nearly always him. I can hear him; I can hear him when he fell from that damn train because I couldn't reach for him."

Emily paused for a moment, stroking his cheek, "Do you have anything else going on? Flashbacks or getting upset by noises?"

"I get the odd flashback every so often, but I'm otherwise fine. Em, don't look at me like that, I know it's not PTSD or anything. I've seen the guys who were sent home in shock and the vets in Sam's group. Look, nightmares are normal. I can handle it."

"Handling it? Clearly not. Just sailing through is not treating it. Steve, I'm not a shrink so I can't diagnose anything, but you are clearly having problems. Have you told anyone?"

"I don't want to be a burden."

"Hey, you're not a burden," Emily snapped, "You have gone through some serious, serious shit and this is your body and mind telling you that you are struggling badly. Trauma affects us all differently and you are no exception. Being Captain America doesn't make you invincible. Steve, we're friends, I want you to tell me if you're going through stuff so I can be here to help. I can't say I've been through your experiences, so how about Sam? He's a good guy; it's his job to help with this kind of thing."

"I don't want to."

"Well I can't force you Steve, but I encourage it. Look, I know I talk shit about Dr. Reynolds but she's a damn good psych, she might be the best person to talk to. If not, go to the VA, otherwise things can be expensive. Please, for me?"

Her puppy dog eyes were in force, eyelids blinking over them.

"I don't know if I'm ready," he told her honestly, "I feel hopeless."

"Stevie, you're not hopeless," Emily took his hand and laced it with Steve's, "You are a good person Steve, the absolute best a man can be. All of this isn't normal, whoever you are. I understand that you come from a generation that is silent about this kind of thing, but you have to know that talking about it helps. You have saved thousands, if not millions, of people. You marched through Hell to save your best friend, you crashed a plane to prevent cities from being nuked and you led a team that stopped aliens from killing us all. Steve, you've saved these people- you need to save yourself. Look, I get that you won't be able to forget what has happened for you, but you cannot let is consume you."

"I let him die Emily."

"He fell from a loose railing that could have fallen at any time."

"You weren't there."

"I wasn't there, but I didn't need to be to know that this was not your fault. Think of Peggy- she's ok, she's more than ok- Peggy saved the world, she's a pioneer. She married a good man and had kids, she had her love. Bucky was a hero to the world, a man we all learn in history books. It won't bring him back and it's not ok he died, but he lives on. He lives in your memories and your heart. Bucky broke the bones of people who bullied you and he would want you to seek help."

Damn, Emily was good when she wanted to be.

"Dr. Reynolds said I could come back if I needed," Steve replied in a broken voice, "She wants to see me regularly. I'd rather that than the VA. I want to keep it quiet- is that ok? I know people struggle and I'm supposed to be a symbol..."

"You're brave whether you create a goddamn mental health charity or whether you never tell a soul. These mental problems are just as visible and real as a broken bone," Emily encouraged.

"I guess I can bring it up with Dr. Reynolds."

"You do that," Emily moved forward, caressing his hair, "I'm proud of you. You mean a lot to me and I want you to be happy. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Can I hug you?"

"Of course."

Steve was relieved with the contact, holding Emily tightly against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his back, letting his chin rest on her shoulder. The room was now in near darkness and completely silent, leaving them alone cast in the lampshade.

"I think we should go back to sleep now," Steve suggested, "Maybe I can calm down a bit. I don't want you tired."

"It's fine, I can go on minimal sleep if I need," Emily shrugged, "We can talk about this more, ok? Are you going to be alright for the rest of the night?"

"I should be," Steve nodded.

"Ok," she kissed his cheek, "Night."

Switching off the lampshade, she gave him one last squeeze of the hand. Steve ached for it once it had gone away, but appreciated the gesture.

"Goodnight Emily," he whispered as they were plunged into darkness.

**Hi all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Next Time: The funeral of a Howling Commando forces Steve to meet those he left behind and allows Emily to catch up with an old friend. Will meeting his old comrades push Steve in the right direction?**

**Thanks again and hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMED**

**Hi guys, glad that you're enjoying this. Don't forget to review!**

**Chapter 10**

Steve could tell by the look on Fury's face that something was wrong. He was leaving a tactical meeting when he saw the director waiting for him outside of the room, arms folded and his remaining eye looking sad. Fury never looked sad- he always had resting bitch face (not Steve's words), so whatever it was, it was serious.

Several things flashed through Steve's mind as he approached Fury.

"Captain, I just received some news and thought you might want to know. Jim Morita passed away last night."

Steve blinked. The Howling Commandos, all that came flooding back to him like a wave in his mind. He'd exchanged details, but hadn't plucked up the courage to pick up the phone. Falsworth had already passed away, but the rest remained alive (apart from Morita) obviously. As soon as the words had left Fury's lips, the battlefields of Europe started playing in her his head. He could see Morita laughing and insulting the racist troops who didn't take kindly to a Japanese-American in their ranks.

From what he'd read, Morita had done a lot in his life- he'd been a fierce supporter of Asian-American rights and been a champion of racial equality in the army. He'd retired some years after the war and had worked as an instructor in a military academy. Morita had married a woman who'd worked in a munitions factory and they'd had four children. He was always laughing, always smiling- Steve imagined a house filled with joy and happiness. Morita's wife, Margaret 'Maggie', had died ten years ago and he was cared for by one of his daughters, whose family he lived with.

He'd had time to contact Morita, to check in. Morita had been one of his first true friends; he'd owed it to all the Commandos to check on them. Without those guys, HYDRA wouldn't have been defeated. They were rightly seen as heroes.

Steve's stomach tightened and his lips parted only slightly, words unable to form in his mouth.

"I'm sorry Rogers; he was the best of men. The funeral will be sometime next week; it's obviously not arranged yet. You can have the time off for it, no problem, take it as paid leave. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Fury seemed genuine. Unbeknownst to Steve, Fury had worked with many of the Howling Commandos during the Cold War and had liaised with them at SHIELD, even visiting them when they were old. Though Gabe Jones would always be his favoured mentor, he was a fan of them all.

"I'm ok, thank you," Steve eventually got out, "Thank you for, erm, letting me know. Can you let me know the funeral details?"

"Of course Captain," Fury nodded, "I'll leave you to it."

Steve watched Fury walk away, his head spinning. Another part of him was gone and he had no idea what to say. Something like this, he didn't realise that it was such heartbreak until it happened. He could imagine Morita's family; his heart ached for their pain. Steve had never thought of this happening, he'd barely been able to bring himself to type Morita's phone number into his cell before deciding against it.

He'd not said goodbye and he was a giant idiot for it.

Right now, he only wanted one person.

Acting on a hunch, he walked into the nearest computer hub. Emily was next to one, her legs on her uncle's laps as they ate bagels. She'd said something about a report that she had to write, so it looked like his guess was right. Coulson noticed Steve and kicked his legs up slightly to get his niece's attention.

Emily turned around. Her welcoming smile turned into a frown when she saw the expression on his face. Excusing herself from her uncle, she headed over to Steve.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Morita died."

"Oh honey, come here," she opened her arms. Steve was relieved to have the contact, wrapping his arms tightly around Emily as though she was a lifeline. She reached up, stringing her smooth fingers in his hair.

"I...I had the chance to talk to him. I didn't, I was too much of a coward. He died; I've had months to contact him. Morita was my friend, a good friend. I wish that I'd really told him how amazing I thought he was."

"Stevie he knew, he knew. Every one of those Howling Commandos knew they were the best and how much you respected them, because they were the ones you chose. You could have selected the men that the government wanted you to choose, but you picked the best of them. Morita spent most of his life thinking that you were gone; just these three months were probably just a nice surprise for him. He lived a good life and lived to a fantastic age. His badass nature basically kept his heart beating. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know- just numb. I'd not even thought of it, of them, until this happened. I thought I'd grow old with these guys."

Emily continued to play with his hair, "You're going to the funeral."

It was less of a question and more of a statement.

"I wouldn't usually ask, but I don't think that I can do this alone- I don't want you to use up your leave for me."

"Of course I'll come if you want me; this kind of thing is super difficult. Hey, look at me. You didn't speak to Morita when you came out of the ice, or any of the guys, but I'm sure he understood. Stevie, you've been through hell and back and you've also been kind of busy with saving the world. He got to die knowing that a guy he held so much respect for lived and that he didn't die in vain. You all got to see Nazi Germany destroyed and HYDRA end, that's all you wanted. The Howling Commandos are legends and rightly so. Morita got to be the legend that he deserved to be. He also got to live a long and happy life. You believe in Heaven, right? Well Morita has gotta have a kick ass seat in the clouds."

Steve nodded, letting go of Emily.

"You need anything?"

Steve shook his head, "No, no I just want some quiet time."

"Yeah, you go lay low today honey, you text me if you need anything. When you feel a little better, we can talk more. Just let me know the funeral arrangements and we can arrange that. I'll probably be here until the end of the day, ok?"

Steve nodded.

"Again, I'm really sorry sweetie," she leaned up and kissed his cheek, "See you later."

"Thanks Em."

Emily watched until Steve had left, going back to her uncle. As soon as she was seated, she relayed what had happened. Though she was again soon distracted by her favourite relative, she still couldn't get her mind off of Steve. She knew that it would be hard, but was also damn sure she'd be there for him, no matter what.

LIGHT ME UP-

_Charles County, Maryland, USA_

Emily was kind enough to drive.

Steve had been going over the information packet on the Howling Commandos. James Montgomery Falsworth had died ten years ago after a stroke. He'd married an Englishwoman named Victoria and they'd had five children- one of whom died young from water on the brain. From what Steve understood, Falsworth had worked for MI5 until his retirement.

Jim Morita had married a woman named Maggie and had four children- two sons, Jack and John and two daughters, Mary and Millie. He'd memorised those names for the funeral.

Dum Dum Dugan had been thrice divorced, to Steve's utter lack of surprise. His first marriage was short lived; he'd had two children with his second wife Heather before spending his last years with his third bride until it ended recently. Dugan had worked his way up to being a general before he retired.

Jacques Dernier had returned to his native France after the war, running his own successful farm. He'd had three sons, one of them being born before the end of the war and another just after. Dernier had been widowed in his 50s after his first wife Claudette got cancer, remarrying a decade later to a lady named Tilda.

Gabe Jones had worked successfully as an interpreter in government, his language prowess coming in extremely handy in an increasingly global post war world. He'd married a woman called Sara and after many years of trying, they were gifted with a lovely daughter, Rachel.

There had been two more after Steve went in the ice. The first was an Englishman called Percival 'Pinky' Pinkerton. Steve had more limited information on him, as Pinky had remained in the British Military before retiring in south England. The other was Samuel 'Happy Sam' Sawyer, who split his time between being an elite soldier and member of the NAACP. Steve assumed they'd both be at the funeral, but it wasn't like he had anything to say to them.

Steve looked sharp in a suit, Emily smart in a dress and pearls. For the entire journey to Maryland and their stay in the DC base (the Triskelion), Steve had been wondering what on earth he was going to do or say. He'd been quiet for most of it, letting Emily listen to an audio book on route. She was clearly concerned about him but had no intention to pry. They'd slept in separate bunks of course, but Steve could not deny he missed Emily's comforting hand squeeze from before.

She'd arrived at work the next few days with baked goods and enough food to last him two weeks. Even her leftovers were great; it was one less thing to worry about. Plus, she was a damn great chef and baker. The food was a very kind touch.

He felt like vomiting as they pulled into the churchyard. There would be a ceremony today for all those who wished to attend, but his burial in Arlington Cemetery was close family only. Steve was glad Morita was to be buried there; he could practically see Americans gladly remembering one of their biggest World War Two heroes.

They parked, with Steve's breathing having turned shallow. Emily shut off the ignition and turned to him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I have no idea what I'm doing here. I knew him for a tiny portion of his life."

"It may have been only a few years, but being part of your team made him a hero. He was one of the few people back then who you missed and truly thought of as a friend. Mr. Morita probably has so many people here today who wish him well, but only few served alongside him as his equal like you did. It's not like you're making a speech."

"I still have to face them. I can still see them as young, virile guys who shot Nazis in the snow with me. They're old now, probably in wheelchairs and not like they used to be. I was their leader and I should have reached out to them as soon as what email was. These are the only people I really missed, apart from Peggy, Bucky and Howard. I spent my birthday with them eating three day old cake that Dernier's wife had sent him. One time, Dugan made this fake snake and put it in Bucky's tent when he was napping. Bucky came out screaming like a housewife who found a spider in the bath, we were just rolling about the floor laughing. We'd tease each other about girls; they'd always mention Peggy to me. They were the only ones who respected her, you know. Most of the army guys, they hated having a girl run around being a thousand times better than them put together."

"Whatever happens, we are all here to do one thing- say goodbye to Jim Morita. The two of us are gonna go in there and remember a great man. You'll mourn your friend and colleague, whilst I'll pay respects to a man who was in all of my history textbooks. We're going to do this together."

She squeezed his hand, a sympathetic smile on her face.

"Let's do this," Steve decided with a decisive nod.

"Let's do this," Emily repeated.

Leaving the car, Emily took Steve's arm, the two tightly linked together. Taking a deep breath, Steve led them through the doors into the church lobby.

Everyone immediately looked at them as they entered, but Steve's eyes fell on one group.

They all looked so old, wrinkled and shorter than he remembered. Dernier was in a wheelchair, wearing his classic beret. A man whom Steve assumed as Happy Sam held onto a walker as though his life depended on it, his bruised hands shaking like a leaf. They stood in a circle along with a couple of others, whom Steve assumed to be family members.

The group turned to look at him. He looked back, without any expression on his face. He had no idea what to say or do until a short Asian woman walked over to him.

"Captain Rogers," she held out her arms, embracing him, "It is such an honour to meet you in person, my father spoke of you until his dying day. In fact, he was telling us a story about you going over a ravine in a motorcycle the day before he passed. He loved that you gave him a chance, father adored you. When we all heard that you weren't dead and were fighting aliens in New York, well, we were all surprised. He even cried slightly, just knowing you were alive made him the happiest man that there ever was. All of his things from the olden days are still at home, kept fresh. You are such a hero."

"Thank you, ma'am- are you Mary?"

"I am," she gave a big smile, her slight Baltimore accent showing.

"I am sorry that I never contacted him. I wish I'd told him one more time how good a man he was."

"Father was just happy to hear you were alive, no apologies needed."

"I heard that you cared for him, I cannot imagine how hard losing him was. God Bless you ma'am, for caring for him in his old age. I'm sorry for you and all of your family."

"He lived a good life," Mary shrugged, "He loved my mother and all of their children. He was happy, he was a great professor. Father died peacefully in his sleep without pain and suffering, he was always physically great until the end. I'm pleased you came; I had no doubt that you would. I've always wanted to thank you in person for being a great friend, just as I have thanked the other Howling Commandos."

"Your father saved my life many times, ma'am- I should be thanking his memory."

"Well I hope we shall do that today. Sorry, who is this lady accompying you?"

"Emily Collins, I work for SHIELD," the brunette extended her hand, "I'm a friend of Steve, I came for moral support. I'm really sorry for your loss; losing a parent at any age cannot be easy. I can't imagine the pain I'd be in if it was my father or mother. You've obviously been a brilliant daughter; I imagine your father was ever so proud of you."

"You are kind, Agent Collins. If you excuse me, I have to great the people coming in now. Will you be at the wake?"

"Yes."

"I will see you then," Mary smiled before going over to the pair who had entered.

Once she had left, Steve and Emily looked at one another. She squeezed his hand and gently pulled them towards the Howling Commandos. Entering the circle, Steve was finally face to face with the men he had left behind.

"You're making us look like shit Rogers," Dugan finally quipped, "I bet the girls still like you a damn sight more than they do us."

"Look at that bone structure;" Dernier shook his head, "I am jealous."

To Steve's utter bewilderment, the Howling Commandos burst out laughing.

"Rogers," Gabe Jones went forward, clasping his hands, "It is good to see you again."

"It's good to see you all again," Steve felt a lump in his throat, "Great in fact. I'd ask how you all were but considering the circumstances, I feel like I know the answer."

"Remembering a good friend, that's what we're doing," Dugan spoke for the group, "Today is about that- as well as greeting an old friend. When my great granddaughter came skipping in to say that you were fighting aliens in New York, I didn't believe her. It was true; however, we all thought you died when that damn plane plunged into the Arctic. Falsworth would have loved it and we know that Morita did too. We're glad you came."

"Very glad," Dernier agreed.

"I'm surprised you made the trip."

"I may be over one hundred years old, dear Captain, but when my comrade in arms dies I will happily fly commercial across the Atlantic to say goodbye. I only wish Peggy was here too, but I'm pretty sure she's already forgotten about Morita dying, poor dear."

Steve's breath hitched- Peggy probably didn't remember at all.

Noticing that Steve was clearly upset by the mention of his old flame, Jones elbowed Dernier slightly.

"Captain, I think you should meet Sam Sawyer and Percival Pinkerton, two of our guys after you went under."

"It's a pleasure," Steve shook their hands, "It really is. I'm glad that the Howling Commandos continued after I was gone; I bet you were the best soldiers."

"Not too bad," Happy Sam shrugged modestly, "Kinda a hard act to follow."

"We're glad to meet you finally, how I wish we'd worked together," Pinky told him kindly, his English accent comparable to Peggy's, "It's like looking in a mirror when I'm looking at you, I've still got those muscles underneath me."

The other men laughed as Steve realised Emily was still with him.

"Oh I'm sorry- this is my dear friend Emily Collins, she was kind enough to come with me today. She's SHIELD. Emily, I'd like you to meet everyone."

Emily shook hands, being welcomed as though she was an old friend. As soon as she reached Dernier, she immediately turned to speak French, her fluency coming in handy in the situation. The old Frenchman was delighted, speaking back rapid fire in his native language. Jones was laughing along, as he understood it, as did Steve. The rest, however, were baffled.

"Rogers, you really get the most attractive girls," Dugan noticed, "If I wasn't as old as the hills; I'd be wishing that I could have a pretty gal like that on my arm too."

Emily laughed, blushing slightly.

"Don't you think she's pretty, Rogers?" Dugan continued, smirking- he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Well, yes," Steve swallowed uncomfortably.

"Don't tease him now Uncle Dum Dum," the lady that was beside Jones teased playfully, "I'm Rachel, Gabe's daughter. It is so nice to finally meet Captain America; I felt that I practically grew up with you. I'm so glad you've come to remember Uncle Jim, he was just such a good man- I am going to miss him so much."

"Good to meet you ma'am, I'm sorry that it's under these circumstances."

"Don't call my daughter ma'am, Rogers, it makes me feel old," Jones chided with laughter in his tone.

"We're all old Gabe my boy," Dugan boomed, "I wouldn't be able to take a fourth wife at this rate."

"_Uncle Dum Dum," _Rachel chided as everyone bar Steve burst out laughing, Emily included. Steve had gone a sweet red, not surprised that Emily had found it hilarious.

Steve felt more at ease than he expected, but still felt a little out of it. The men seemed to have their inside jokes from over the years, talking about people he'd never met and places he'd never been. He laughed along, but he still felt emptiness inside. Steve had wanted to grow old with them and continue in the Howling Commandos, but God had not dealt him that hand. Growing up, Sarah Rogers had always told her son that things happened for a reason. A young Steve was always confused as to why God let bad things happen and even as an adult, he was confused.

They did treat him like he was an old friend to them, which he was, which he did appreciate. They didn't walk around eggshells, they laughed and joked and teased him thoroughly.

"Well look what the cat dragged in."

Emily turned around and let out a delighted gasp.

"Trip!" she rushed into the arms of a slim and young African-American man that Steve had never seen before.

"Hey girl, it's always great to see you. I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm here with Steve- oh Steve, met the incomparable Antoine Triplett, known as 'Trip.' Trip is one of my buddies at SHIELD, I never see him though- he's always busy. Trip, this is the legend that is Steve Rogers."

The two men shook hands.

"It's an honour to meet you Cap."

"Likewise," Steve smiled. He guessed if he was a friend of Emily, the guy was alright.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Emily asked, "I didn't know that you knew Mr. Morita."

"Oh, well, it's kind of a long story..."

"Do you not talk about me boy?" Gabe suddenly asked from the other side of the circle, "Honestly, I'd think my own grandson is ashamed of me."

Emily looked between them, her mind slowly realising.

"Holy heck- are you a legacy Trip?"

Trip looked away slightly.

"Oh my you are," Emily looked astonished, "You kept that one quiet."

"Shut up, it's not like you haven't got SHIELD blood."

"Me being a niece of a current agent is just not comparable as your grandfather being a member of the _Howling Commandos."_

"I don't tell people so they don't treat me differently," Trip shrugged, "Which means..."

"I won't tell anyone, chill."

"How are Aaron and Nat?"

"They're great; I'll just tell them I happened to run into you in DC."

"I'll be in the city in a few weeks for a little bit."

"Good, that means we can hang out- rematch of pool, boys v girls again."

"You got it," the two high fived.

Mary cleared her throat at the edge of the room, calling everyone to attention.

"If everybody would please like to make their way into the church, the service will begin shortly."

Steve had only just walked in when he was pulled forward by Jones.

"You're sitting with us pal, row for the Howling Commandos behind their family."

Steve looked back to Emily, but she was already sliding into a pew beside Trip. Looking up, she gave him a knowing smile. Sandwiched between Dugan and Jones, Steve looked back and saw that Fury had slipped in quietly, going to sit beside Emily. The two SHIELD agents shook their boss' hand before continuing to quietly speak.

The organist began and the pastor stood up on the podium.

"Welcome all. Today we will be remembering the life of James Andrew Morita, commonly known as 'Jim.' Before we start, please turn to page six of your booklet and join us for a hymn."

They sang.

"Thank you all. James Kenji Morita was born to Mamaru and Akane, the first of five children, in Fresno California on October 20th 1919. He excelled in school, particularly in mathematics and then worked in a local business as an accountant. Morita volunteered for the army the day after the attack on Pearl Harbour and became part of the United States Nielsen Squadron. At home, his family were unfortunately placed in an internment camp by the government. This hatred did not drive Morita, for he instead continued to fight for the good people of his country and the world. During this time, he was selected for the elite Howling Commandos, serving under Captain America himself."

Once the war was over, Jim returned home to marry Margaret 'Maggie' Morita, née Ito. He had four children- sons Jack and John and daughters Mary and Millie. He moved to the East Coast but continued to work for the military. After many more years in the elite team, Jim retired from the army and worked as an instructor at West Point. Ten years ago, his dear wife Maggie died and he moved in with his youngest daughter, Mary. Morita was lucky enough to have ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, all of whom are with us today. Our first speaker today is Kenny Morita, beloved grandson of Jim."

Steve nearly did a double take when a man walked up the podium, the absolute double of Morita- they looked _exactly _the same.

"Yeah, they're basically the same," Dugan whispered, seeing Steve's bewildered expression.

The ceremony continued smoothly, but Steve could not stop looking at the coffin. In there, his deceased friend lay. He felt a level of discomfort surge through him, nervous even though he knew that everything was fine. Steve wanted to look back to seek Emily's comforting fake, but couldn't tear himself away from watching the proceedings.

When it ended, Steve felt utter relief.

He assisted Dernier out of the room in his wheelchair, but the Frenchman insisted he go back to Emily. The brunette was in deep conversation with Fury, but immediately smiled when she saw Steve.

"Hi," she walked over, embracing him, "How was that for you?"

"It was ok, better than I thought."

"I'm proud of you honey. Mrs. Triplett gave me the address for the wake; we can stay for as long or short as you want. Director, do you need a ride?"

"That would be good, thank you Collins."

The journey to Mary's house was short but painfully awkward, especially with Fury in the backseat. They felt that they could not talk with him there, especially with the usually emotional intimacy that they shared. Steve wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone anyway, even Emily. He felt numb inside, unable to feel his emotions properly. Steve had never been a hugely emotional person anyone, not one who cried or yelled. He was quiet on the inside, quiet on the outside.

As soon as they were in, Kenny Morita walked over.

"Captain, I wanted to speak to you earlier but didn't have the time," he extended a hand, "Kenny Morita, my mom's Mary. Thank you for coming, it means so much."

"No problem- your speech was extremely moving but I had to say, I did the biggest double take of all time when I saw you. Has anyone ever told you how much you look like your grandfather?"

Kenny chuckled, "Yeah, everyone says I look exactly like him."

"Well I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's hard, we were close but he lived a good life, no one is immortal. Sorry ma'am, I don't think we've been introduced."

"Emily Collins," she shook his hand, "I work for SHIELD; I'm a friend of Steve's."

"You two live the high life then. I always wanted to be like grandpop, but I was never athletic or strong like he was."

"What do you do?" Emily asked.

"I'm the principal of Midtown School of Science and Technology."

"The one in Queens?"

"Yeah," Kenny nodded, "You know it?"

"Not really, but I've seen ads for it and read about the kids in the papers. That's a sweet gig, I don't know if I would have the patience for it. Teaching the next generation, that's what it's all about," Emily smiled.

They talked a little while longer before Kenny went to help his mom.

"You want a drink?" Emily asked.

"I'm good for now thanks, you go get what you want."

As Emily grabbed a soda, she was waylaid by Trip. For some reason, Steve felt a twinge of jealousy at the sight of them talking- Emily was laughing outrageously, touching Trip's chest as he took her shoulder. He wasn't a bad looking guy, this Trip, and he seemed nice. Being a SHIELD agent wasn't easy, so everyone who did it just seemed effortless. As Steve watched them, he felt a yearning for something he wasn't sure about. The way that Trip made Emily laugh, it made his heart sink faster than the Titanic.

As he watched her, he felt someone clap him on the shoulder.

"Rogers, we're having a Howling Commandos meeting," Dugan pulled rather hard for a man nearing one hundred, "Now."

Steve obediently followed to a small sitting room away from the kitchen area. He let the other men sit in the plush armchairs, popping himself on a small stool that was rather unforgiving to his back. On the table in the middle, someone had set out some small glasses of water.

"We've lost three of our boys- Barnes, Falsworth and now Morita. We raise a glass to Jim in memory of out fallen friend. He was always the most serious one of us all, but he really knew his shit. I'll always remember how kind he was, how loyal and how he never backed down from a challenge. His devotion to Maggie was something we can all be inspired by, unless you're thrice divorced like me. To Jim," Dugan raised his glass.

"To Jim," they all raised their glasses and drank.

Steve was quiet as they swapped stories of Morita's exploits, even though he'd witnessed plenty of them himself. He did not just feel qualified to talk about it, he felt very out of place. Steve was here to remember a friend, but still felt completely out of it.

Eventually, someone pushed him to talk.

"Come on Rogers," Dernier's French accent was still as thick as it had been seventy years ago, "You've been quiet- tell us your Morita story."

"Well, erm, there was the time in France when we were trying to clear out a post in a bombed out village. There were still a few residents left who refused to leave, said they'd been there their entire lives and they wouldn't be going, even if their homes were out of it. We'd got most of the Germans in one corner but there was still a loose collar of them surrounding the church. Well, they were holed up in the bell tower and there was an elderly woman who really didn't like that. I guess that she must have been religious because she was screaming at these Germans with machine guns. They were laughing their asses off, ready to aim for them. Morita distracted them with a shot and single handedly managed to kill them all whilst rescuing the lady. They all lay dead, but this old lady was still screaming and crying at him, thumping her with his fists. We were all wetting ourselves laughing, but Morita, he wouldn't move her. The next few days after that, we teased him."

Those who had been present all laughed.

"So what about you, Rogers?" Jones asked, "How you holding up?"

"Me?" Steve sounded surprised, "I'm ok."

"Don't lie to us," Jones continued, "You've had a culture shock like no other."

"Today isn't about me."

"In the Howling Commandos, we would huddle together whenever we needed, even if the event was unrelated to us," Pinkerton told him, "At Happy Sam's daughter's wedding, we were comforting Falsworth because he got reminded of a little girl that got blown up in front of him. We're all here because we know that you're not ok. Sam and I may not have known you like the rest of them, but none of us would feel too great if we were thrown sixty odd years into the future."

"Well, I'm adjusting- I have no choice really, I gotta get on with it."

"Does Peggy know?" Dernier asked.

"Well, erm, I've not spoken to her. I know her mind isn't what it was, so I don't know how much she would understand. Even if I was at her bedside, she could forget multiple times and I really don't know how good that would be for her. If I'm totally honest as well, I don't think I could sit through that as well, seeing her like that. I remember her so differently, as do you all, I think it would be hard for me seeing her in that way. You know, I thought she'd be the love of my life, but that wasn't meant to be."

"Peggy lived the best life old boy," Dugan encouraged, "She got a PhD from Cambridge, founded SHIELD and basically became one of the most inspirational women of all time. There are schools named after her in England, medals and even competitions. Her husband, Daniel, was the best sort- he was one of the three hundred you rescued from that camp with us. He was disabled, lost one of his legs, but she never treated him badly- like how she was always good to you. They had two great kids. William is one of the top vascular surgeons in the world and Victoria is one of the finest human rights lawyers, she'd worked in The Hague. They're good kids, kind and always reach out to see how we are."

"Have you made friends?" Dernier asked.

They sounded like dads on the first day of their child's school.

"Yeah, but it's not the same as it was before."

"Are you actually trying?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes," Steve defended.

"Cap, we're gonna have to be brutally honest with you here," Dugan leaned forward, "What's happened is downright shit. Nothing I can think of it shittier than your situation. It's adapting to a new life, nearly everyone you know is gone or as old as the hills. In five years, you'll probably be the only one of us left. You can't be anchored to the past, Rogers, you have to let go. Moving on isn't just about a job and an apartment. You're with SHIELD, saving the world, so it's not like you don't have purpose. You need more than that though. I'm not saying you have to move to the suburbs with a nice wife, kids and a Labrador. I know it's hard for guys like us to remove ourselves from battle. You need to make proper friends, have a solid group. I knew Howard Stark; he was the man of the party. Befriend Tony Stark; he sounds the same as his old man. Look, the Avengers have similar life experiences, start with that. Go to classes, join a gym group or something, and separate yourself from work. Stop finding excuses."

Steve's mouth dropped open and his eyebrows rose at Dugan's boldness.

"What about a girl?" Jones asked.

"I know that Peggy is over ninety and a widow with two children, but I still imagine myself with her in 1945. Dating is so different these days. It's so casual, hooking up at bars and sleeping with strangers. That's not me. If I find someone, I want it to be the girl I want to marry. I can't face going on a date and not knowing what to say, like the girl talking about things I've never heard of. I can't help but feel like I'm betraying Peggy's memory."

"What about that pretty young thing you walked in with?" Dernier grinned, "Mademoiselle Emily."

Steve went a deep shade of red.

"Emily's been a great friend. She helps me with movies, drives me to events and she basically cooks half of my meals for me. She's still just a friend though."

"Bullshit," Dernier laughed, "The girl speaks French, the best ones do."

"You look at her the way you looked at Peggy, you know," Jones spoke wisely from the corner.

Steve looked at him, shocked again, "I'm sorry?"

"Like she's the sun, but without the squinting. When you saw her with my grandson earlier, it looked as though she wanted to punch a wall out of jealousy. It's as though you're just in awe of her, she's an action girl like our Peg was. When she was talking to us earlier, you couldn't take your eyes off of her. Miss. Emily, I can tell she's good, I can tell what people are like. Someone who will willingly come to a funeral a good drive away and speak to us so nicely, that's someone who cares. Yes, she's very pretty, but I can tell that your heart already belongs to her. Emily might not be the love of your life, but it's worth a shot. You won't necessarily marry the first girl you date properly, even without your head start."

Steve had been jealous when he saw Emily with Trip, he couldn't deny it. He caught himself looking at her from time to time- not just because she was attractive, but because she had an aura around her. It was like the sun, he guessed, he revolved around that aura.

Was it more than friendship?

"Anyway, I think we've been away for longer than we need," Dugan clapped his lap, "Let's go back and help dear Mary out."

Steve immediately went to push Dernier out on his wheelchair. The men returned to the main room, albeit slowly. As soon as she saw Steve, Emily went straight over to him.

"Everything ok?" she asked.

"Fine," he smiled down at her, "Things are good, speaking with the guys helped. We talked about Morita, all of our best memories of him and such. I was wrong to wait so long to reach out, but now I l know I've still got them, along with any new friends."

"I'm proud of you for being so strong," Emily cupped Steve's cheek.

"Well you've helped a lot. Sorry for leaving you for so long."

"Don't apologise, you did what you needed to do. Besides, I had Trip to keep me company. We had a good catch up, it was great to see him again- he's already a laugh. I even talked to Fury, but that was like pulling teeth."

She laughed slightly, making Steve's heart beat faster.

"He can be a bit scary, can't he?"

"I'm sure he'd see that as an honour, an Avenger being scared of him. You must be hungry, Mary's done a brilliant buffet; you must try the cheese pastry."

Steve let Emily lead him over to the table, blathering away about something. It wasn't just Jones and Dernier that had talked about him moving on, but Dr. Reynolds too. Funnily enough, she'd talked about it just after he discussed his friendship with Emily.

Did they know something he didn't?

**Hello all; hope you enjoyed it. It was a long one, but definitely worth the write as I thought it was an important step in pushing Steve along. Will Emily be the same or will she take even longer to work things out?**

**Next Time: Tony Stark throws a costume party. Emily meets The Avengers- will this be another push?**

**Thanks again, I hope you review to let me know what you think and what you'd like to see next. Any suggestions will be more than welcome, they might even be implemented if I like them enough ;) **


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support guys, we're doing so well! Keep those reviews coming. We're on 90 follows now which is just so incredible, thank you so much for support. Please review, it would mean a lot, whether it's praise or constructive criticism x**

**Chapter 11**

When Tony Stark partied, he partied hard.

Steve had expected to walk into an apartment, but had instead walked into what looked like a club. The disco ball was the centrepiece, light streaming around the levels of the place. Colours and patterns were projected onto the walls from a hidden projector, not too bright but obvious enough to show everyone. Tables were covered with a seemingly endless supply of snacks. There was a clear dance floor, several bartenders and every drink in existence. Upstairs was quieter, with a pool table and a relaxing seating area.

It seemed like everyone at SHIELD was there. Even the senior members were there, happy to lap up the multitude of free alcohol on offer.

Steve really didn't want to attend this, he really didn't. He hated parties, large crowds and settings where he'd be the centre of attention. He'd always been shy and retiring, despising being forced on stage with the USO. Dr. Reynolds, in their sessions, had encouraged him to get out more. Steve did want to improve himself, he knew he had no choice but to buckle up and do better. He was doing well at VA meet ups, so now it was time to test himself.

Emily had really wanted him to come, she had always wanted to attend a legendary Tony Stark party. She was fair, she understood that it wasn't his comfort zone. Steve had listened to her advice- go, at least stay for an hour and if he really couldn't face it, at least he'd tried. He could take time out to breathe if he needed. Emily would be the life of the party, he knew that- this was her element, her zone. She liked to party and have fun. He didn't want to disappoint her. Steve knew the dangers of relying too much on Emily, but he sought comfort in her presence.

Steve wanted to be alone most of the time, but when he wasn't, he wanted to be around Emily. She'd done so much for him, from cooking him dinner to educating him on pop culture. To Steve, this was doing something for her. He didn't need to show Emily that he could do this, because she believed in him. The only person he needed to prove himself to was, well, himself. If he could make the night, he knew that he could do anything.

One push; that was it.

The Avengers came, of course. He'd met Pepper Potts and Colonel Rhodes a little before, but this was the first setting which had allowed them to talk properly. They were odd in their relationship to Tony. Rhodey, as he insisted on being called, was cautious and the voice of reason. Pepper was the most sensible and level headed person Steve had ever met. Rhodey's friendship with Tony and Pepper's attraction to him seemed to be the biggest case of opposites attract. Steve was glad Tony had the two, for he could tell that they were extremely genuine and caring. The blond had pieced together that Tony had somewhat of a troubled past with things like drinking and his strained relationship with his father, but at least he had Pepper and Rhodey.

A female CEO would never have been a thing in Steve's day, not for a major company. Pepper apparently ran Stark Industries better than the man himself. Though it still sucked being in the future, Steve was glad that society had progressed. Peggy would thrive like this.

Her name still crushed him. This was the world for women she'd created as a foremother to the movement. Peggy Carter was a feminist heroine around the globe, seen to have opened up espionage and diplomatic service to girls in a world that had previously been closed off.

Steve couldn't afford to think about her right now. Tonight was about fun in the present, not dwelling on the past.

Thor had also introduced Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis. Jane was another calm and sensible person, her mind nearly as bright as Bruce and Tony's. Thor was an attractive man, as well as being very kind and brave, he could see them together. Darcy was very much an Emily and a Tony, talking a mile a minute without any social hindrance to inappropriate conversation. She wasn't a scientist, but was Jane's assistant because she was the only one that applied. Her chatterbox nature unnerved the more reserved Natasha and Bruce, who looked at her like she was an alien from outer space.

It wouldn't surprise Steve. Aliens had invaded New York only a little while ago and demi Gods had levelled a small New Mexico town last year. Darcy being an alien or android would actually be a lot more believable.

Well, androids didn't exist apparently. He was sure they'd come around eventually.

The group was spread out, Steve in conversation with Rhodey, Pepper and Tony. Happy Hogan was having a nightmare with security, even though Stark Tower was the safest building in New York City (after The Bunk, of course). Happy was running around like a headless chicken, checking passes and running interference with the less than thrilled security guards. Tony just chuckled and said it kept him out of their hair, so he let him do it. People didn't laugh like they did when Happy told them he was a security guard for _Iron Man._

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Emily until she yelled out his name.

When Steve turned around, his jaw dropped.

Emily was the centre of attention in that corner of the room and for good reason- she looked absolutely incredible. The red bodycon dress she'd donned fit her svelte figure perfectly, hugging her body until it fell down to her upper thighs. It was off the shoulder, matched by a black clutch bag and strappy heels. The only piece of jewellery was a pair of ornate dangle earrings, showed off by her slicked back, straightened hair. She looked as though she'd walked straight off a runway.

Every guy in the place was looking at her and honestly, Steve couldn't blame them.

"Hey honey," she embraced him, leaving red lipstick on both his cheeks as they kissed, "You look great, very handsome."

"You look...pretty damn good," Steve managed to get out.

"Well, being a lady in red is kinda my thing," she shrugged before smirking slightly, "Besides, it seems I'm not the only one enjoying this."

Twisting around, she waved her red fingers at a group of men, who immediately looked delighted at the attention.

"I'm glad you came," Emily whispered so that only Steve could hear, "I know it's hard, but it's a great step. I'm proud of you."

Before Steve could answer, they were interrupted by a cough.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Tony asked.

"Yes, sorry," Steve apologised, "Everyone, this is the amazing Emily Collins. Emily, meet Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, and Colonel James Rhodes."

She politely shook hands with everyone. Tony managed to keep his eyes away, but Rhodey was certainly checking Emily's slim body out. Steve was having trouble not staring, for she did look absolutely incredible. He was aware that Emily knew exactly what she was doing and enjoyed the attention from men, but he wanted to be respectful. Maybe he could just concentrate on her face, that made his heart beat fast enough.

Her lips were cherry red as well.

"So how did you two meet?" Tony asked, "I would say I knew but Steve had never mentioned you before."

"Yeah, I wonder why," Steve muttered before raising his voice, "Em's at SHIELD. She's been the biggest help, her movie list is essential. You guys have to try her lemon drizzle, it's the best- she's the top chef in New York."

Emily laughed sweetly, "He's a doll, this one."

"How long have you been screwing?"

"Tony, apologise," Steve snapped, "That was rude."

His arm instinctively went around Emily, who put a hand on his.

"Stevie it's fine," she batted her long eyelashes, "It's nothing I can't handle. I always say that a man who talks like this is compensating for something. Can't handle the action, so he talks instead."

Her voice was as sweet as pie, but Emily had that devilish look on her face that Steve had grown quite accustomed to.

"Oh my sweet summer child, the stories I could tell you. I've been having fun longer than you've been alive."

Pepper elbowed him sharply across the ribs then.

"You do look a little familiar- have we met before?" the CEO asked.

"No, but you know my uncle Phil Coulson."

"You're the famous niece?" Pepper asked, "I almost thought you were a myth, the amount he talks about you."

"Close enough," Emily smirked.

The brunette was as charming as always, her conversation as sparkling as the wine. Steve was sucked in by that charm, drawn into that charisma she laid on thick. It was like the world revolved around her, the centre of gravity of all discussion. He could tell that the three liked them, especially Tony. Tony liked fellow chatterboxes who wouldn't take his bullshit, so they got on like a house on fire. Emily laughed at the inappropriate jokes that Steve pursed his lips at. Pepper was kind as well, appreciating a fellow woman. Rhodey had stopped checking Emily out, probably aware that there wasn't much of a chance, age gap aside.

"Hi guys."

Bruce Banner, like Steve, was not a party person so he was surprised he'd even showed up. Bruce did live in the tower, so it was just a case of convenience for him. Steve liked Bruce, the quiet scientist had a level head and a good heart buried behind his sarcastic approach. He wasn't an annoyance like Tony, but still kept his emotions guarded.

"Bruce, this is my friend Emily Collins. Em, meet Dr. Bruce Banner."

"Hi, it's so great to meet you," Emily beamed, "The scientists at SHIELD will not shut up about you."

Bruce seemed flattered that somebody was talking about him in a scientific way, not a Hulk way. Tony and Steve had been the same, neither was the least bit scared of him now.

"Great to meet you too," he shook the hand offered.

Emily tried to keep Bruce in the conversation, but he was still as shy as usual. She noticed, not pushing it, instead chatting to those more willing. Bruce did make them laugh a few times, mainly making jokes at poor Tony's expense. It was clear, however, that he was grateful to have a place. Stark Tower was massive, allowing him to be alone when he wanted. It also had the best lab in the city, the candy land that Tony had promised. He was finally accepted.

The group eventually dissolved. Steve introduced Emily to Thor, as well as Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis, who had accompanied him. Like all women, Emily was nearly speechless when she clapped eyes on Thor.

It made Steve a little jealous.

Emily eventually excused herself to see her friends- Steve felt bad for keeping her so long. She'd run excitedly when she saw Aaron and Natalie, hugging them excitedly before they started with shots.

The brunette had kept Steve in her thoughts, but he was long disappeared by the time she was dancing with her uncle.

For the third time, he stepped on her toes.

"Sorry," he apologised as she hissed, "I'm not nearly as graceful as you."

"I do have twelve years of dance training- plus, it's better you stand on my feet, I think it would hurt if these heels hit you."

"I don't know how women manage to squeeze their feet into those shoes, they look like hell. Are you sure they weren't made as torture devices to punish women? They look painful. I remember those ones you bought just after you moved, your feet looked battered for weeks. Can't you just wear flats?"

"It's a combination of sheer willpower and societal pressure. You know in Japan, women have to wear heels at work? Flats would be boring. Women go through periods and childbirth, high heels are nothing. I secretly think that we're the strongest sex you know. You should try my pumps, see what it's like."

"I think my feet might be a little too big kiddo."

"You can squeeze them in," Emily winked.

"Well, I survived death, so I'm sure heels can't hurt," Coulson joked.

He immediately stopped chuckling when he saw the hurt look on his niece's face. They hadn't told Emily about the New York situation until she was back from London, otherwise there would have been chaos. Neither had discussed it with the other, Emily changing the subject whenever it was brought up. Coulson knew that Emily was extremely upset about it but she hated getting upset in front of people- she avoided crying whenever she could.

"That's not funny," she whispered.

"I'm ok Em. The doctors fixed me up real good. You don't have to worry."

"You could have died though," her voice cracked, "I don't know what I would have done without my Uncle Phil. You're my favourite person."

"Hey, look at me," he pushed her face so she was looking at him, "What happened is in the past, I don't even need to take any medication or anything. SHIELD saved me, sweetheart. I always swore to you that I would die when I'm old and grey. Besides, if anything happened, you'd drag me back from the ground. I couldn't disappoint my favourite girl, could I?"

"I'd kill you if you died," Emily muttered into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I don't doubt it, you're a strong agent. SHIELD is lucky to have you."

"Well they're luckier to have you Uncle Phil, you're the best type of agent."

"Love you kid," he messed up the top of her hair.

"I love you too Uncle Phil, but if you mess up your hair again, I am going to throw you out of this tower."

"I don't doubt that either."

Once the dance was over, Coulson went over to talk to people whilst Emily went to get a drink.

"Sangria please," she asked the bartender. Looking around, she saw Bruce sitting alone nearby.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked once the drink was in her hand.

"Be my guest."

"So, I have to ask," Emily took a sip, "Do you still think about your Gamma Neuron theory? We did it as part of a case study in college, it caused a lot of discussion. I thought it was a realistic theory, if unproven, but the rest of the class was pretty divided- even our professor was sceptical. I did lots of research after, got an A on that paper actually."

"You know that theory?" Bruce was clearly surprised.

"I'm a neuroscience major but it's a fairly uncommon subject matter, only a few schools do it."

"Well I'm glad you found it interesting, I haven't thought about it in years."

"If you do, let me know, I'd love to learn more."

"I will," Bruce confirmed.

"That's great. Steve talks about you highly and he's a good judge of character, so I figure you must be cool."

"You and Steve seem close."

"We are," Emily agreed, "When I first met him, I figured that he'd been dealt a really shitty hand and I just thought it would be great to help him, ya know? He's the best, he really is. All that hype about Captain America is totally real, even more so with Steve Rogers. I'm glad I get to help him. He means a lot to me, it's only been a short time, but he's just so real. I guess the Avengers live up to it. Thor seems cool. Agent Romanoff and Barton, well they're pretty distant, but they're also legendary. Still making my mind up on Tony Stark though. He seems like a decent guy at heart, but he's just so in your face. I can imagine him and Steve don't see eye to eye- he asked me how long we'd been screwing just after I shook his hand."

"Tony, Tony, Tony," Bruce shook his head, "He is a good person, I just don't think people realise. He saw me for myself when we first met, thought that the Hulk was cool instead of the monster that he is. Tony let me stay here for free and work for him, the salary is incredible. Not many people would be open hearted enough to let a complete stranger who could kill him at any moment into their home. Pepper's the same, she didn't give it a second thought. I know he's a bit much but he's had some shit in his life. It's not an excuse, but he's not a bad person. Yeah, he and Steve are like chalk and cheese but they are two very, very opposite people. I'm opposite to him too, but we gel. I think you can't judge him. He didn't judge me and that is cool. Plus his lab is like heaven."

"Well, I guess I'll be the judge of that," Emily shrugged, tossing her hair back like she was in a shampoo commercial, "What are you drinking?"

"Just lemonade, I'm teetotal."

"I respect that, I could never do it. I had a fake ID as soon as I looked old enough to pass as 21."

She sipped her sangria happily.

The two lapsed into small talk until they were interrupted by Clint and Natasha, who sat with them without a second thought.

"It is so bizarre seeing you guys out of work, it's like seeing a dog walking on its hind legs," Emily told them.

Natasha looked at Emily was though she was insane, but Clint burst out laughing.

"We aren't evil," Clint assured her.

"Well I know _that, _but everyone at SHIELD is pretty scared of you apart from Uncle Phil, Fury, Steve, Commander Hill and a few others. I'm pretty sure Rumlow is terrified of ever crossing Agent Romanoff. You guys aren't very social, I've noticed that."

"Thanks," Natasha deadpanned.

"They're fun when they want to be," Bruce interjected.

"I'll take your word for that one. Well, Steve likes you guys so you must be ok and he's a good judge of character. He thinks Rumlow is a jackass so he's definitely right there."

"Rumlow has this weird crush on you, have you noticed?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, he checks out my ass a lot. I'd rather go down on a trucker with the clap than sleep with him. I'm a girl with standards and I make sure guys are aware of that. That guy over there, for example, has been staring at me for fifteen minutes and has no idea that I would never go with a guy who wore trousers like that in his twenties."

Emily looked over at the guy, sneering at him.

"Anyway Agent Romanoff," she continued, "I'd be breaking my own girl code if I didn't tell you how amazing you look. See, I think it's important you always compliment other gals because we totally need to support one another."

Natasha looked surprised. The only times she'd ever spoken to Emily was when it was work related. They were opposites- Natasha was more mission focused and reserved, whilst Emily was confident and sociable.

"Thanks, you too. You can call me Natasha, you know?"

"First name terms with the Avengers, Aaron and Nat will not be able to get enough. Speaking of, I am going to check on Steve. Have you seen him?"

They all shook their heads.

"I'll go on a walk about then. Lovely to actually speak to you guys for once. Bruce, let me know if you ever continue with the gamma neuron theory because that shit is dope. Bye for now."

She air kissed, slightly aware of how much she'd had to drink that night. Behind her, the remaining three were in shock after the encounter.

Emily searched high and low for Steve, but simply could not find him. She knew that it was a thick crowd, but he was nowhere to be seen. He asked everyone, but nobody had seen him anywhere. Even the quiet upstairs area was devoid of Steve and he wasn't in the toilets. Emily was beginning to worry, Steve would seek her out to say goodbye he was leaving.

Maybe this was too soon.

After searching the bathroom corridor (Tony had it made out like public toilets for when there were parties), she was stumped. He wasn't answering his texts.

"Are you searching for Captain Rogers?"

"Jesus Christ," Emily clutched her heart, "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry, my name is JARVIS- I'm Tony Stark's personal AI. Look above you, you'll see a blinking red light."

"Jeez, you scared me, hi, I see you," Emily waved at a camera on the wall, "Yeah, I am looking for Steve. Do you know where he is?"

"There is a small sitting room up the corridor. Walk past the trophy case and you'll find it's the only door on the left."

"Thank you, Mr. JARVIS."

"You are welcome ma'am."

She walked down the corridor, following JARVIS' instructions before she finally found the door. Knocking gently, she opened the door ajar.

Steve was sat on a sofa, looking at the clasped hands on his lap.

"Stevie?"

"Hi," he sent her a strained smile.

"I've been worried about you- can I sit?"

Steve nodded. Emily sat beside him, gently placing a hand on his lap.

"Have you been enjoying yourself?" Steve asked.

"I'm having a ball Stevie, but this isn't about me. How long have you been here for?"

"About an hour. It's still a little overwhelming, even Thor is more assimilated to the modern day than I am and he's from another world. Everyone is dancing and having a great time with the people they know, where I can't say I really know anyone. It's as though time has passed me by. I don't get the jokes that people say and I don't understand any of the references. I can't get drunk, everyone else can. It's just all in my head. It's not the social part of it that bothers me, it's not like I'm anxious about that. I just feel so out of place, like I'm a round peg being pushed into a square hole. Everyone is great and all, but this just doesn't feel like me. For years, I never went to any parties because I was never invited to them. I'd get girls rejecting me at the dances Bucky dragged me to. Guys would beat the crap out of me if they thought I was trying to dance with their girl. They all laughed at this skinny guy. Parties for me were always exclusionary and even when people want me in them like they do now, I still feel left out."

"If it was social anxiety, that could be helped, but this is a little harder to break. I can't say anything about your relationships; it's going to take years before you build the ones you used to have. Steve, you're always going to have me. I won't ever replace Bucky or the Howling Commandos but I like to think we're tight. You have the other Avengers; they have similar life experience in being the world's mightiest heroes. There's Sam and there are the other veterans. You may feel excluded, but that is far from true. You are so cared for and so wanted. Out of everyone who came tonight, you're the one I really wanted to see."

"Is that true?"

"I love my Uncle Phil most in the world and Aaron and Nat are my besties, but I see them all the time. Getting to see you, it means you know how strong you are and that you can do this."

She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Look, we have three options right now. You could lounge in here all alone, bored and without any company. You could give up and go home. You could also come out with me and enjoy yourself. We haven't danced together yet, I'd love to shake a move with you. Yes, I know I am the best dancer in this place, but I'm sure you can keep up. It might be difficult though, all eyes are gonna be on the two sexiest people in the room."

Steve broke into a laugh, he often did when he was in her presence.

"You're a great friend, Emily."

"I try, I try. So Steve, what's it going to be?"

"Well, I can't deny such a charming girl her wish of a dance."

"So you're going to come back to the party?" Emily asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Yeah, yeah, you've convinced me."

"If you have any problems, you can take a time out or leave. Just tug on my arm or send me a text. People leave parties all the time, they can be bored or just tired. Come on then honey, let's get back out there and show them how it's done."

Standing up, she held out a hand. Steve took it, and the two linked arms. Heading out into the party, Steve felt a surge of confidence as they arrived back into it. Though it had been going on for several hours, the fun wasn't anywhere near ended.

"So," Steve stopped at the edge of the dance floor, holding out a hand, "May I have this dance?"

"You may, my dear," Emily took the hand.

Steve nervously placed a hand on Emily's waist, with her placing a hand on his shoulder. They linked fingers, Steve leading in a slow and rather awkward semi waltz.

"You need to loosen up Stevie; this is a song that you need to tango to."

"How does one tango?"

"Tango is about raw passion, you have to let yourself be totally taken in by the dance. It's as though nothing else in the world matters but the way you feel in that exact moment. Loosen those hips Steve; let the Latino passion flow through you. Ok, just follow my feet first...good, good. Follow my lead, that's it. See, look what happens when you loosen those joints."

Steve felt more comfortable as they went on, becoming much less stiff and awkward. Feeling a sudden surge of confidence, he spun Emily around. She laughed outrageously in surprise, spinning around before Steve pulled her back into his embrace.

"Captain America has moves," Emily noticed with a shit eating grin.

"It seems like it works with the right partner," he replied, before he realised what he said.

Dancing with Emily felt _right. _There was no other way of putting it; he just felt his heart completely sing when it was just the two of them. She was just so full of sunshine and joy, she was always just so happy. He looked at Emily and was just transfixed. It wasn't just the charisma that was around her, it was just how attractive she was. Steve could look at her red painted lips or dark green eyes all day. Her legs went on forever. Everything about her was beautiful, from her looks to her charisma.

She made him laugh. When he saw her in the corridors at work, his heart skipped a beat when she flashed him that beautiful smile of hers.

When people had talked about moving on, he'd resisted the idea of it. He still wanted to be with Peggy or just live alone with the rest of his life. Looking at Emily, he felt something that only Peggy so far had elicited from him.

Surely it was just an attraction; he wasn't blind to Emily's good looks. Something inside him, however, was telling him it was more than that.

The song ended, snapping Steve back to reality.

"That was fun," Emily beamed, "Come on, drinks re on me."

"It's an open bar."

"You get the point," the tiny brunette pulled the large blond off of the dance floor to get to the bar. All around them, men were staring at Emily- well, it was more her posterior that they had were paying attention to. That bothered Steve more than he cared to say. It wasn't like it was illegal, but he felt a little jealousy when he saw Emily indulge the men with her flirtatious smile.

Maybe he wanted that kind of smile sent to him.

He took it easy for the rest of the evening, watching as Emily courted the attention of everyone in the room. She dazzled, he clearly didn't. When talking to Bruce, he noticed the scientist looking between him and Emily as though he knew something they didn't.

People slowly started filling out, with many of them having to be guided into the safety of cabs due their state of inebriation. Steve, to his surprise, was one of the last hold outs- he'd expected to be one of the first to leave. Emily, ever the life of the party, was there. The Avengers and a few of their friends found themselves in the living area, eating cold pizza and finishing empty bottles.

Emily was laid out next to Steve on the floor, her head on his shoulder. He was still surprised she was standing; she'd had a lot to drink. They were all laughing at something Tony was saying. Steve didn't want to be the first to leave, so was secretly pleased when Natasha and Clint stood up. Everyone else who didn't live in the tower left, Emily included.

"_Oh what a beautiful morning," _Emily started singing once they'd said goodbye to everyone. Using her upper body strength, she jumped onto a short wall and started walking like she was on a tightrope, her arms in an airplane position.

"Em, get down," Steve hissed, "You're drunk, you could fall."

"Life gets boring when you live on the dull side of life. Just think of me as that girl who walked across the Niagara gorge on a tightrope, oh what was her name? It was before your time, you might now it. Maria Spelterini. That was dope, imagine being brave enough to do this."

"You're going to miss that brick," Steve warned, holding out his arms, "Let me help you down."

"No, I can do a handstand, watch this."

To her credit, she managed to do it. When she stood up, however, the alcohol started to sink in and she started to wobble. At lightning fast speed, Steve managed to catch Emily in a bridal carry when she slipped on a loose piece of the wall.

"See, my knight in shining superhero spandex saved me, yay!" Emily put a hand on one of Steve's cheeks and kissed the other. Her lips were dangerously close to his, her spacial awareness not best. Steve's skin tingled, part of him wondering about what would happen if things had been closer.

He let her down gently, holding her until her feet were planted firmly on the ground.

"I guess I should go hail a cab," Emily looked around for the nearest road.

"I'll take you home, hop in."

"Steve, you go the other way, a cab won't kill me."

"I don't want you going home alone in a cab when you're drunk, who knows what could happen? Before you say that you have your gun, may I remind you that you've had a lot to drink tonight? Come on, I want you safe."

"Fine," Emily let out a dramatic sigh, "You've convinced me."

Steve opened the passenger side for her.

"Thank you, my darling," she blew an air kiss like a 40s Hollywood star.

"No problem, ma'am," Steve smiled back, playing the part.

Steve couldn't stop thinking about Emily long after he walked her to the door. As the early morning drew on, he lay in bed, looking at the ceiling. Glad he didn't need much sleep, he wondered about all of the people who had told him to move on, from Dr. Reynolds to Gabe Jones. Even Emily had encouraged him in her own little special way. Her talking about having more than one great love in your life just stuck with him for some reason.

Moving on seemed like a challenge, but it seemed as though something (or someone) was making him finally feel prepared for it.

**Hello all, hope that you enjoyed it. We're not too far from some stuff moving along in their relationship.**

**Next Time: Emily spends a morning doing yoga with her best friend, but her afternoon takes an unexpected turn when Steve gets into big trouble at work.**

**Thanks again, hope to see you next time xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

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**Chapter 12**

"Congratulations gentlemen, all eight hostages were killed."

Steve groaned, pulling off his helmet and throwing his shield down. The warehouse simulation was shut down slowly, reminding them of the training room they were in. Around him, the STRIKE team were also looking very unimpressed at the results. Rumlow stood centre, glaring at the hostage target that now had several bullet holes sprayed into it.

As usual, he was the one who had taken the risks and suffered the consequences.

He stalked off over the instructor, yelling about the simulation being wrong again. Steve rolled his eyes, watching as Rumlow towered over the tiny instructor.

Rumlow as a liability and Steve didn't like it. La Paz had been first in a long string of bad decisions, usually due to Rumlow's arrogance. He tended to act before thinking, quick to pull the trigger and prioritising speed over safety. To the more by the book Steve, it was idiocy. If Steve was to command the team, he wanted to trust its members. Natasha and Clint were skilled enough to pull off risks so Steve didn't have to worry about them. Rumlow, however, was just pushing limits.

Steve was tired of him, he really was. He hated how Rumlow sneered at everyone and made comments about the women of SHIELD. Everything about Rumlow made his hairs stand on end and his blood boil. At least Tony had redeeming qualities and proved that he would happily sacrifice himself for humanity. Steve was 100% sure Rumlow would push someone in front of a bullet; he just wasn't a team player.

The blonde was about to intervene when the terrified instructor walked away. After going through the post-training brief, everyone was sent away.

Steve had to do something and he had to do it now. If Rumlow didn't get his act together, a mission could go seriously, seriously wrong.

"Agent Rumlow!" he called out, "A word- now."

The brunet slowed down to let Steve catch up.

"What can I do you for?" Rumlow asked, an easy grin on his face.

"That training was a total shambles."

"Yeah, wasn't it? That simulation was a load of crap."

"That is not what I am talking about," Steve snapped, blocking Rumlow's way, "Those eight hostages were all your fault- not mine, not Rollins', not anyone else's. If you hadn't have acted so arrogantly and been too stupid, then that training mission would have been a success. It should have been easy, we're a tough team. Rumlow, you dropped the ball badly and it wasn't the first time."

"It was just a training mission, keep your granny panties on."

"Training prepares us for real life. In Bolivia, you very nearly got a little girl shot and caused an international incident with your recklessness. It was lucky you're a good shot, that mission could have gone really south. Every mission and assignment seems to end with you risking everything we've worked for by cocking your gun. As leader of this division, I have to tell you to stop this. I cannot have a member of my team that I don't trust. When I am absent, you are in charge. Frankly, I'm quite unsure as to why you got as far as you did as leader. Rumlow, you're a great agent, but this is getting out of hand. You need to shape up. You can start by not yelling at innocent instructors who were just trying their best, there's no need to act like that. If you have mission input, then I am happy to hear it because you have more experience than I do. Stop treating these assignments like a joke and remember that this isn't a video game."

Rumlow let out a derisive snort.

"You really wanna play that game Rogers? I've been doing this since you were halfway into being a Popsicle. If you don't like my style, then that is fine with me, because I don't like yours. Listen Rogers, this isn't 1945 anymore. All this cute World War 2 comradery and innocence doesn't fly here. Technology has advanced, terrorists are emboldened and there are more types of enemy that you can shake a stick at. Our world has changed and you need to change with it. Stop with the stick up your ass. You don't like it, do you? You are so used to being the pretty patriotic hero that America loves that when you're challenged, you hate it. Everything about you screams chronic hero syndrome. Deal with the fact things are different now. Poor Captain, out of his depth."

"That is out of line."

"Don't be a princess Rogers."

"If I think that you are at risk of killing innocents during missions, then I am not happy."

"Innocents will die, they're collateral. If a couple of people have to die to put terrorists with weapons of mass destruction behind bars, then I'm willing to fake cry at a funeral."

Steve started to go red.

"Yes civilians die, but that is plain disrespectful. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. Everyone else works hard, however much I disagree with them, and you seem to be the only one I have problems with. You are a disrespectful bully who likes to play hero too."

"Like you're so perfect. I remember reading that you went against the orders of a Colonel to save nearly 400 men from enemy lines. Your whole shtick is that brave American hero who will do anything."

"It was a calculated risk and I was not alone, I had help. That is why STRIKE is a team and not one man. You need to shape up because I swear that I am not having a liability on this team."

"You may be in charge because Fury felt sorry for you, but let's face it, you're just the face of it. Thing is, you just got lucky by being picked to be America's superhero- and you only just got away from being a performing monkey."

"You can insult me all you want Rumlow, but you are not shirking these responsibilities. This isn't going to end today. I expect to see you become a team player and play by the rules. If you don't, then I can't save you. Take my advice Rumlow, I don't want us to be enemies."

"Excuse me if I don't want to be friends with a stuck up jack ass who tells me I suck."

"Have you listened to a word I've said?!" an incredulous Steve almost yelped.

"Yes, I have and it was pretty damn annoying."

"Sometimes I don't need to wonder why people dislike you."

"Aww, you listening to your girlfriend? That is such a Collins line."

"First off, she's not my girlfriend and secondly, leave her out of this."

Everyone at SHIELD knew how close Steve and Emily were, how they'd immediately clicked as friends. It was obvious that making a pop at Emily would immediately get Steve angry. He was already pissed when Rumlow had made comments about Emily in Bolivia,

"She influences you, doesn't she? Wow, she is even smarter than I thought and I'm not just talking about Yale. First off, she gets into SHIELD by using her uncle's name- Coulson has more pull than nearly every other agent. Secondly, she sleeps her way to the top by getting with none other than Captain Rogers herself. Clever girl."

That was when Steve had enough.

"None of that is true, so do not even think about making horrible lies up about Agent Collins. Say what you like about me, but she has nothing to do with this."

"Aww, sticking up for your little princess? How adorable, she really has a hold on you."

"I am giving you one last chance to shut up Rumlow, I suggest you take it."

"Ok man, just saying what everyone knows about Collins whoring herself- ʺ

Rumlow was interrupted when Steve's fist collided with his jaw. Everyone around them dropped their conversation in shock, staring slack jawed and wide eyed at the sudden attack. They were equally as surprised when Rumlow immediately hit Steve back. Grabbing the Captain's shirt, he pulled them both to the floor where they continued to brawl.

Though Rumlow was as near in strength to Steve, he still couldn't match the Captain's sheer strength.

People around them attempted to pull them apart, but it took a dozen people to intervene before they managed. When they were split apart, both were in a bad way, though Rumlow was inarguably worse. Steve had several bruises on his face, as well as some blood on his fists. Rumlow had a split lip, several bruises and a nose that looked slightly bent out of shape.

"What in the hell is this?"

Fury came charging down the corridor, Hill got in his heels.

"Why the hell are two of my best agents scrapping like idiot drunks in a bar? Hell, you've drawn blood. Both of you look like absolute idiots- explain yourselves right now. No actually, you've already drawn enough attention to yourselves you crazy sons of bitches. Both of you with me right now, I am going to have a conversation with you that you will not enjoy. NOW!"

Like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs, Rumlow and Steve unquestionably followed Fury and Hill up to the director's office. There was complete silence until they were sat across from their very unimpressed bosses.

"Right, I want to hear what happened," Fury looked between them.

"He decked me first," Rumlow dramatically gestured to the bruised blond next to him.

"I won't deny it, I did," Steve responded shortly, "But I wouldn't have if he hadn't have been such a jackass."

"You were the jackass," Rumlow snapped, "Coming all over and insulting me. Look, after training, Cap had ants in his pants over me apparently being the one to blame for all the hostages. He basically started saying that I was a liability, a risk taker and that I am apparently arrogant. All this shit about how I'm the weakest link and not to be trusted. Please, I have been at this job for so long that I can't remember life without it. He's prissy about being challenged, Captain America likes to be in charge."

"Is that true, Captain?" Fury's remaining eye fixed on Steve.

"What Rumlow said is true, yes. I find him to be a huge liability on this team and am concerned that his arrogance will cost lives on day, as it nearly did on the La Paz mission that was reported. Rumlow could not take what was constructive criticism. I never insulted Rumlow, I have said that he is a talented agent, but one that is a risk taker."

"So you punched him to prove a point?"

"I punched him the second that he started disrespecting Emily and making offensive lies about her."

"Oh really? That wasn't mentioned," Fury swivelled his chair over, "What exactly did you say about Agent Collins?"

"I was just playing around with him, a few truths."

"He said that she got to SHIELD because of Agent Coulson. This accusation was followed by Rumlow saying that Emily was sleeping with me to get to the top and if it wasn't me that she was sleeping with, she was whoring her way to the top. Rumlow can insult me all he wants and I can take it, but I will not tolerate him ever speaking like that about Emily. That is the only reason I hit Rumlow and as he can attest, it was an equal fight."

Steve wasn't in the mood for apologising.

"Well come on, she is Agent Coulson's niece," Rumlow leaned forward.

"Believe me; Agent Collins would not have stepped through this door if she wasn't as equally worthy as every other person in this place. Her relation to a member of SHIELD had no bearing on her acceptance."

"Perhaps making comments about a female agent's sexuality isn't too helpful either," Hill glared at Rumlow. She hated him too, but he was too valuable an asset to lose.

"Rumlow's comments on Collins are hugely unacceptable and I will not condone them. That being said Rogers, punching Rumlow is not the way to go about it. Violence is not an acceptable response to anything, words included. If this was a bar, both of you would be arrested. Rogers, for God's sake, don't go around attacking people, it's beneath you. I'm sure Collins wouldn't want you running around being some white knight for her. What would she think?"

"Emily's views on Rumlow are unrepeatable in polite society. Believe me, she wouldn't mind."

Fury death glared Steve.

"Well Collins isn't in charge. I am ashamed of both of you. Rumlow, you do not speak about your colleagues in that way, especially when the words you use are malicious and lies. Rogers, you do not go about attacking your co-workers. A good leader stands above and he does not lower himself. You didn't have to punch back, Rumlow. I have half a mind to suspend you both. Still, I admit that I have allowed less from others. Both of you are on a two week warning system. Any infractions in this time will result in a much harsher punishment. Now, stand up, shake hands and apologise to one another."

Neither moved.

"Are you deaf or stupid? Stand up, shake hands and apologise to one another," Fury barked.

The two men stood, attempting to crush the hand of their opponent. After muttering their apologies, they turned back to Fury.

"I feel like a principal of some damn middle school right now. You are grown ass men. Rogers, you fought in World War Freaking Two, grow the heck up," Fury continued to shout, "Rumlow, you will also be offering your _sincerest _apologies to Agent Collins for your awful comments."

"Aw come on, Collins doesn't need to know," Rumlow protested.

"This will be around SHIELD already, Collins will find out. You don't have to tell her exactly what was said, just apologise for being rude," Hill snapped from the corner, "I will be speaking to Agent Collins later to ensure you have said sorry."

Rumlow scowled, but agreed.

"Now get the hell out of my office," Fury insisted, "If there is any more trouble from either of you, I swear to God you'll wish that you never worked here. OUT!"

The two left quickly, heading into the elevator.

"Bet you didn't like that, did you?" Rumlow shoved his shoulder against Steve's.

"You're an idiot, Rumlow. I don't care what you say to me anymore, but I swear to God, if you say anything about Emily ever again, you will really, really regret it."

"Ok man, I'll leave your precious girlfriend alone. See you later."

Rumlow gave him the smuggest grin on the planet before walking away. Steve's hand naturally curled into a fist, but he resisted the temptation- Fury was right, violence was below him. Still, he still felt a boiling anger at how Rumlow had spoken about Emily. Yes, it wasn't his job to be angry on Emily's behalf, but he just couldn't have anyone speaking about her like that. She had been his rock and anyone being rude to her would get a strong reaction.

He wouldn't put it past Rumlow to insult Emily again, but probably not to Steve's face. If there was one thing he would be making sure of today, it would be ensuring that Rumlow apologised to Emily.

There wasn't much left to do apart from go over some tactical training.

Unfortunately, he was stopped by someone.

Emily strode down the corridor purposefully. Steve opened his mouth to say hello, but she beat him to it.

"You're coming with me now," she told him, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the corridor. Well, Steve allowed her to do that, simply because she didn't have the strength to do it on her own.

They ended up in the medical wing, in the small first aid room. A couple of technicians were in there, but Emily's glare sent them packing.

"Sit down," she instructed, grabbing a first aid kit from the side and opening it.

"Em, it's fine, the bruising will fade in a day. Fast metabolism helps."

"I don't care," she snapped.

"It was just a..."

"I know what it was, I heard the entire thing from Agent Matthews because she witnessed it. One minute you and Rumlow were at odds about training, next my name is mentioned and as soon as that happens, you guys are beating the crap out of each other. Now I heard that Rumlow was insulting me but I do not know the specifics."

"You don't need to know what he said."

"I do. Hold this against your bruise until I say stop."

Steve wordlessly took the ice pack against his cheek.

"I asked you what he said about me Rogers. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"Well, erm," Steve looked to the floor, "He said that you only got into SHIELD because of your uncle then he said that, erm, you were sleeping with me to get to the top. Oh and you're whoring yourself."

To Steve's utter surprise, Emily chuckled.

"First time I've heard the whoring thing, so at least that's original. Hold the ice pack a little tighter honey, that's it."

"So you're not bothered?"

"Well I'm more bothered about him thinking that I didn't earn this, but I don't really care. I don't need Rumlow's approval or assumptions. I spent four years in one of the best colleges in the United States doing a very difficult degree. SHIELD accepted me, I also got offers from the FBI, CIA and DCIS. Had I not gotten into law enforcement, I could have easily got my masters or gone into research. I know my own value and it is pretty damn high. I was top of this SHIELD class. Uncle Phil had no hand in my acceptance or passing, I have known that since I got in. This 'whoring' business, well I like to think I'd be Director already if that was true. He's just bitter that I won't sleep with him. He's never asked because he knows the answer."

She opened a tube of medicine.

"My worth is not what others think of me, especially Brock Rumlow. I know who I am. Had he said that to my face, I wouldn't have even needed to give him a reaction. Take off the ice. This is arnica cream, twice a day until it heals. I'll apply the first paste."

Pushing a small amount onto her finger, she started to rub it onto Steve's bruise.

"Look, you can't go getting into fights like this Steve."

"He insulted you."

"Like I said, I don't care."

"You may not care, but I do. You mean a lot to me and I am not about to let anyone speak like that about you. What he said was inexcusable and I wasn't going to let it roll off my back. Rumlow could say whatever he wants about me, but he cannot speak about you like that. It was what he deserved."

Emily smiled slightly.

"You're sweet Steve, but I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

"You weren't there to fight that battle."

"Will you just promise me you won't get into a fight again? You aren't safe because you're Captain America, Fury can and will fire you if you get physical again. Look, I am grateful that you spoke out against Rumlow for me but I'm begging you not to get into fights. A few insults directed me is not worth you losing a really great job. I can handle myself Steve, believe me. Ok, I fully admit, Rumlow has had that coming to it ever since he was born and I won't pretend I'm sorry that it finally happened, but it's technically against SHIELD rules."

"I'll try."

Emily rolled her eyes, stopping the paste from being applied.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Thanks to you I am," Steve assured.

"Thank you for standing up for me. Like I said, it was wrong, but it was really sweet of you to do it. It's nice to know that I have people caring for me. Still, here I was thinking that duels went out of fashion in the 19th century. Maybe it'll be pistols at dawn once again."

Steve chuckled.

"Well, like I said, you mean a lot to me. I think you're awesome you know, and not just because you make the best lemon drizzle ever. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, ever."

Emily reached out, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders. Steve responded in kind, feeling relief at her touch.

"Your bruises are already fading a little," she noticed, touching his cheek tenderly, "Lucky bastard."

"Fast metabolism," Steve replied.

Their faces were close together. Steve could smell Emily's floral perfume and Steve's cologne flew up Emily's nostrils. The two were locked in a staring competition, but a soft one. Emily's hand remained on Steve's cheek; the pair was in a stalemate. Neither seemed inclined to move, unspoken emotions clouding the room.

Footsteps interrupted them. When the door opened, it was Rumlow.

"I guess you won't play nurse for me?" Rumlow joked. The joke fell flat, as both Steve and Emily glared at him.

"Is there something you want?" Emily icily asked.

"I came to apologise for what I said about you, I'm sure you heard what it was."

"Yes I did. Apology accepted," Emily replied coolly, before turning back to Steve.

"Well that was easy, I thought you'd go all bat shit on me."

Emily put on her 'I'm about to finish this bastard' face. Slapping her thighs, she stood and walked over to Rumlow.

"I don't need to go bat shit on you. It's what you want me to do; I'm not stupid- you want me to get really angry so you can boast to your little posse that I was an angry shrew or nagging woman. Listen, I know that game you are playing. You want to pretend that you're against an old fashioned naive idiot and his deluded follower. You think that I care what you think, but I don't. I worked harder to get here than you did, cultivated my entire education and skill set so I could achieve the dream I first had when I was ten years old. I got into a college that is in the top ten worldwide with a single figures acceptance rate. What you say about me, it doesn't affect me. I won't remember today in a week because I really don't care."

Rumlow opened his mouth, but Emily held a hand up to stop him.

"Let me finish. Rumlow, you are an arrogant piece of shit whose hormones are still raging and a guy that just doesn't get that girls like me would rather set themselves on fire than drop their panties for you. You're good, I'll give you that- in fact, you're brilliant. STRIKE is lucky to have your skill set and I would actually trust you in the field. Still, it doesn't change the fact you are breathtakingly awful. Now you are going to listen here. Steve means a lot to me so if you hurt him ever again, I will make sure that you really regret ever doing it. This isn't a threat; I'm not stupid or harsh enough to do that to you. I will deny this conversation ever happened and I'm sure Steve will. No one will believe America's golden boy and an agent with no disciplinary record against a guy that just got in huge trouble for being a jackass. So yeah, apology accepted- won't hold this against you, no complaints from me."

"I'm really not scared of you Collins."

"Well you should be, because no one hurts my friends. Now, I think this conversation is over. Hopefully it won't be brought up again."

One look from her told Rumlow to go. He rolled his eyes and walked out of the door.

"See, that is how to get a point across without getting violent 101," she smirked, "Now what have you got to do now?"

"Tactical training."

"I'm on the same floor; it looks as though I have to babysit you now. Come on Rogers, let's get it on."

Smiling, Steve followed Emily out of the door.

**Hi all hope you liked it!**

**Next Time: It's Steve's birthday/ 4****th**** July and it's filled with celebration. We also inch ever closer for their relationship to change.**

**Thanks for sticking with me and I hope to see you on the other side x**


	13. Chapter 13

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**Chapter 13**

Steve had a birthday, well, everyone did. His happened to be on the biggest day of the American year, it was only slightly better than his birthday being Christmas Day. Growing up, birthdays were a rare day of treats- a packet of candy from the local store and some new shoes, his mom having worked extra shifts to get him those things. The Barnes would usually get him a nice little bakery cake with jam inside. Everyone was off that day usually, as it was the 4th, though his mom often worked holidays to get better pay.

When his mom died, he only really got something from Bucky, the Barnes family still giving him cake. He was used to that now, not even getting anything in the army. Now, however, he was a 21st century man with friends and means. Therefore, he was driving out of the city to join a joint SHIELD/Tony Stark 4th July party, upstate so they could have fireworks and a BBQ. Steve was told to expect a simple day, with alcohol, hot dogs and sparklers. He wanted that, just a day to celebrate America along with his closest friends.

Steve drove down in his car, just in case he had to take drunken friends home. Most of them were working the next day, so he doubted anyone would have more than a couple of beers each. Still, Steve wanted to be the ever responsible one.

He arrived down at noon to see a large field filled with decorations. Balloons decorated the way up, red, white and blue of course. There was bunting of 'USA,' as well as decorated tables filled with food, hidden under tents to protect against the gentle July sun. Someone had set up a giant DJ booth, as well as an outdoor bar. Basically, the decorators had made damn sure that it all looked good.

"Cap!"

Steve walked over to the group, Tony leading the charge. He got a hug and 'Happy Birthday' from most, Thor nearly crushing him in celebration. It had taken a while for Thor to get used to the idea of Independence Day, but he was on board as soon as he heard alcohol and food were both involved. Steve felt warm when he was greeted by his dear friends, his heart soaring at getting to be around so many loved ones on his birthday.

He wished Bucky was here though, as well as his mom. These new friends were great, but nothing could meet his lifelong companion or his beloved mother. It wasn't the same without them.

"Steve! Happy Birthday."

Steve was thrilled to see Sam, giving him a bro hug.

"Hey, I thought you'd be with the VA or something."

"Most vets go with their families on the 4th, and those who don't go to government sanctioned events. Once I checked my worst PTSD cases would be away from fireworks, I got my butt straight over here to be with you people. It must suck, having a birthday on the same day as a major holiday. I figured that you might want to have your birthday as celebrated as America is. How old are you supposed to be anyway? Are you over 100 yet?"

"Ha ha," Steve mockingly laughed, "Not quite. Thanks for coming though, I appreciate it a lot."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, especially since it's free. Man, I would not mind being as rich as Tony Stark. The car he came in with, I'd only be able to get that with a lottery win- I'd be scared to take it out in case it got scratched. He's got no kids that he knows of, right? Maybe he can adopt me so that I can be his heir."

Steve chuckled, "You make me laugh, Sam."

"What? He can't give it _all _to charity. I'll settle with a few million."

"I'm sure Tony will give you one of the cars he doesn't drive if you ask _really nicely."_

Sam punched the air. Once it was back down, he looked behind Steve.

"Your lady friend is here."

Emily came rushing over, looking suitably July 4th themed in a red and white dress, her lipstick and nails her favourite candy colour.

"Happy Birthday handsome," she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek, leaving a bright red lipstick mark on his skin, "How's your day been so far honey?"

"Fine so far, can't complain."

"Well I think it's going to be awesome," she smirked.

"What have you got planned?"

"What makes you think I have anything planned?"

"You have that smirk you have on whenever you're about to cause trouble."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied airily, before turning to Sam, "Hi Sam, happy 4th."

"Happy 4th to you too," Sam returned her hug, waggling his eyebrows over her shoulder at Steve. The blond just rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what Sam was thinking.

"I'm going to get a lovely glass of lemonade; do you guys want a drink while I'm up?"

"I'll have one too, thanks," Steve replied.

"Me too," Sam smiled, "Thanks Emily."

She flounced off, merrily greeting everyone in her path. At one point, she turned around and smiled sweetly at Steve, who only just managed a wave back. Sam laughed at that, knowing exactly what affect Emily had on the clueless blond.

"Did she ever go on a second date with Eduardo?" Sam asked.

"No, she said he was nice but there was no chemistry. I'm pretty sure she recommended this girl from one of her gym classes and apparently they've been dating ever since, so it worked out well for Eduardo."

"Well, you can't force chemistry, but glad that Eduardo got a second chance. Ahh, thanks Emily, I'm gasping."

He took the lemonade, winking at Steve.

"Come on Cap," Tony approached, clapping Steve on the shoulder, "You gonna come open your presents?"

"Presents?" Steve repeated, blinking in surprise.

"Presents usually happen on birthdays," Tony spoke as if Steve was mentally slow, hustling the blond over to a picnic table with a very large pile of gifts. Steve was surprised; he'd never had so many gifts in his entire life. They were all beautifully wrapped, apart from one that Steve guessed was from Thor. People had clearly been kind.

"Sit down," Natasha encouraged, "You've got a lot to get through birthday boy."

Around the table were the usual gang- the Avengers, Pepper, Darcy, Jane, Rhodey, Emily and Sam. Coulson, Natalie and Aaron also joined, wishing him a happy birthday. Emily sat beside him, squeezing his arm and smiling encouragingly.

"This one's mine and Pepper's," Tony shoved a package in Steve's arms, "Be careful, it's delicate."

Steve slowly unwrapped the package to reveal a tablet- at least he knew what it was.

"It's the newest Stark Tab; it's not even released to the general public yet. I wanted you to get it when I knew you would know how to use it and not break it. All the features are on there, you're subscribed to all the major newspapers, apps and music so you have everything. I'll leave it to someone with more patience than me to show you what it does."

"Thank you, it's great- very thoughtful with all the apps," Steve admired the packaging, not daring to take it out of the packet.

"That was Pepper's idea," Tony admitted.

Everyone had been great with gifts. Natasha gave him a book on famous artists, Clint got him a nice watch, Thor some Asgardian wine, Jane and Darcy a nice wallet, Rhodey gifted him with several volumes of US Military history, Bruce a collection of old records for his vinyl player, Coulson a Lou Gehrig sketch for his wall and Natalie and Aaron a nice pair of headphones.

Sam brought a huge gift box that the VA group had all pitched in- alcohol, candy, shower stuff, shot glasses and fart cushions amongst others. Steve wouldn't be short for a while.

"Well I'm guessing this one is yours," Steve addressed Emily as he reached for a beautifully wrapped box. It was red, white and blue with a perfectly tied bow and no visible tape.

"It might just be," she teased, a hand on her closed knuckle.

Steve ripped it open to reveal a large black box. The top had '_Property of Steve. G Rogers_' embroidered neatly in cursive font. Opening it up, it revealed a large set of beautiful art pencils, pens and other equipment. Everything was neatly arranged, carefully crafted. Closing it back up, he flipped to the bottom to see if anything was there.

_An artist isn't complete without a pencil. All my love, Emily C xxx_

"It's really swell Em; I really love it," his voice went soft, "Thank you so much."

He kissed her cheek, making her blush like a school girl.

"Thanks everyone, these are a real treat, I can't wait to try them all," he told them all honestly, "Really, each present is real keen."

"This ain't the 30s anymore pal," Tony stood up, clapping him on the back, "Come on, it would be a crime not to show off these dance moves, let's boogie people."

Emily was up like a shot, Sam and several of the others following. The brunette turned to Steve, pulling the puppy eyes out.

"Come on, dance with us," she pleaded, stamping her feet, "Please?"

Her darkened lashes batted over her big eyes, possibly even wider than usual.

"Later, I promise," he replied in an attempt to pacify her.

"Fine, I'll hold you to that. Come on guys."

She ran off to the dance floor, holding Darcy's hand. She giggled the entire way there, still laughing when Sam held out a hand in offering.

The two jived, Emily's legs moving rhythmically to the beat. Steve's eyes were drawn over to the long pins as they moved to and fro, straight as an arrow from the knee down. He wasn't the only one, half the men were looking as her skirt flew up. Sam had either the tact or the disinterest not to look, his fingers linking with hers as they moved together. He actually had a lot of skill, better than Steve did anyway. The DJ started to play an Irish ditty, legs akimbo.

When the country music started, Emily started dancing with Tony. Steve watched jealously, even though he knew nothing would come of it- Tony was happy with Pepper and that was good. Sam, however, had a much better chance. Still, Sam had never come off interested in Emily and was rather more interested in teasing Steve about her.

Steve thought that Sam was blind as to not look at Emily.

The group came back, all out of sorts.

"Wow, I am famished," Emily put a hand through her wild, untamed hair, "I need a hot dog, Stevie do you want one?"

"Please."

When Emily was out of earshot, Steve turned to Bruce.

"Well Emily's certainly blowing her wig."

Bruce looked baffled.

"It means to get excited," Steve shook his head, laughing at himself, "I'm still getting used to this entire new lingo, I keep speaking like I'm in the war again. I said something last week; an entire sentence in old slang and Emily looked at me as though I'd gone mad. Those records are really great; the record player works so well in my place. You'll have to come over and listen to them with me."

"I'd like that. Do you cook?"

"Nah, I wouldn't want to make you miserable, I can't cook. I'd probably poison you. Just ask Emily to cook, she's a real chef."

"You like her a lot," Bruce stated.

"She's a wonderful dame," Steve smiled fondly, "I mean she's the complete opposite to me in every way, you saw how she danced and charmed everyone like she did. Still, she's the top. Anyway, here comes the girl herself."

"Oh you flatter me Rogers," she gave him a peck on the cheek, handing him hotdogs on a plate, "It must be great to have a summer birthday like this, even though it's a holiday, you always get it off. Beautiful day for it as well, the sun is really shining on Captain America, huh? Say Bruce, when's your birthday?"

"December 18th."

"Ooh, a little too close to Christmas for my liking- I'm February 21st, a week after Valentine's Day. Weather is really weird in February, but not quite as bad as December. Don't eat too many hot dogs Stevie; I hear there's lots of cake to be had later."

"My metabolism is four times that of an average human, won't affect me."

"Ugh lucky, I'd kill for that, I'd be able to eat what I like."

"There's nothing on you Em, you could eat anything."

"Oh you're as sweet as apple pie," she mocked in a southern drawl, putting a palm to her jaw, "I'm going to take some pictures with my uncle, mom and grandma will want them. I expect that dance later Rogers, I'm not in the mood for waiting around."

With her self-assuredness intact as always, she flounced away.

Steve spent some more of the afternoon talking to his friends, as well as socialising with SHIELD colleagues who wished him a happy birthday and spoke to him about 21st century traditions on Independence Day. He couldn't deny it was pleasant- and he'd snapped to attention as soon as the Star Spangled Banner was played, hand on heart and singing loudly. Steve was sure living up to his super alter ego that day.

"Everybody, I believe there's a birthday today- and it's not just America's," the DJ announced, "Steve Rogers is celebrating today so let's sing a happy birthday."

As everyone started singing to a shocked Steve; Emily, Sam and Tony came out carrying a large tiered birthday cake. Steve was impressed as soon as he caught sight of it- it had several layers decorated in a dark blue icing with white features, the New York Yankees logo slapped on the top tier. A large edible baseball sat at the top, two baseball bats iced to the bottom. _Happy Birthday Steve _was iced onto the bottom.

"Make a wish Stevie," Emily encouraged as he blew out the candles, "Hip hip, hooray!"

Those surrounding them repeated it, clapping excitedly for the birthday boy.

"Who's responsible for this then?" Steve asked his assembled friends.

"It was my idea, Sam helped with the design and Tony..." Emily started.

"I paid for it," Tony added, everyone laughing.

"Thank you, it looks incredible, it's the best cake I've ever seen. It's really been a great birthday and that's just the cherry on top of the cake. Shall we slice it up?"

Everyone was excited to eat it, Steve getting the largest slice of course. It was delicious, the sponge fresh and the cream soft as he'd wished. Seeing as it was his birthday, he decided to go for an extra slice- and he didn't regret it, it felt good.

As the sun started going down, Emily walked over to Steve, batting her eyelashes- he knew exactly what she wanted. Standing up, he led her to the dance floor as the DJ struck up a slow tune. Emily had one hand on Steve's shoulder, whilst he had one on her waist. They moved silently at first, enjoying the music.

"Have you had a good birthday?" she asked.

"It's been really brilliant- you've all made it work. Sam tells me that you arranged everything."

Emily blushed. She had done everything, from sorting the cake to ensuring everyone had presents. Nobody had bought him the same thing, the decorations were catered to what they thought Steve would like and made sure the DJ played songs that he liked. Emily was a planner and she was sure that Steve would have the best birthday ever. She'd found Sam the perfect deputy, he really knew how to bring things together. They both teamed up with the hopes that Steve would have the perfect day.

"He helped a lot, it wasn't just me."

"You don't have to be modest, I know you planned everything."

"Well I wanted you to have a good day," she shrugged, "This birthday is in a time far away from your own with new people. You're a great man Steve, the very best there is- it's not just Captain America that deserves the best day, but Steve Rogers too. A birthday should be with the ones you love, with amazing presents and delicious cake. I like to think I know you best in this new world and that I'd know what you wanted. If anyone deserves to have this day, it's you."

"Well I'm really pleased, it's been incredible. Don't tell anyone else, but I loved your present the most. Where did you get it from?"

"I was wilding trying to pick the perfect gift; I wanted it to just be you. Anyway, I found this little artist's shop tucked away in the neighbourhood and thought I'd give it a go. I saw the box and loved it, and then the guy said that it could be engraved so I decided it was definitely the right one. It's been so hard keeping it secret; I was just so tickled pink about it. I burst to my uncle and told him so that I had someone to chat to about it. He actually picked out the present from him all by himself, usually I have to help. I wrap all his presents at Christmas, did you know that? He pays me in alcohol. See, I do the best present wrapping ever and he's rubbish, so it's a little agreement we have. His came in a gift box this time so he got away with it."

"I'm sure those supplies will come in handy."

"Maybe you can draw someone like a French girl."

"Excuse me?"

"Pretend I never said that," Emily laughed, "It's from _Titanic, _Jack in the film draws naked prostitutes and Rose refers to it when she wants him to draw her all sexy."

"Oh," Steve went red, "Maybe not then, I'll stick with skylines and plants."

"Your loss."

"You are awful."

"Yet you still hang out with me," Emily smirked, "You can't deny it Stevie; I've got a hold on you. My wit and charisma never lets me down when keeping friends. If you ever tried to stray away, I'd attach a string to a lemon drizzle, knock on your door then lead you all the way to my apartment. God, I don't know how I'm single."

"You're single by choice I'd imagine, you could get any guy."

"Maybe not every guy," her voice went soft, "What about you? Any girls that tickle your fancy?"

"Can we pass on this conversation?"

"For now, but Steve, you're a real catch. I don't mean to sound like I'm going to objectify you, but you are incredibly good looking."

Steve laughed, "Thanks Em, but I'm good for now. It's hard to find someone with shared life experience."

"Opposites attract though," Emily suggested.

"You may be right."

"I know," she smiled, "Come on, they're about to start the fireworks. Are you going to be ok with them? I don't know if explosions will upset you, so if you don't want to watch, we can go somewhere quiet together."

"I'm fine with them Em."

"Then let's boogie."

Everyone stood together in a large bundle to watch the fireworks light the sky. Every colour shot up, mainly red, white and blue, but oranges and yellows also blasted above. Steve stood there, arm in arm with Emily. She leaned against the bottom of his shoulder, entranced by the colours as they reflected in her eyes. Steve smiled; the sight of her so happy filled him with joy. Sam was on the other stand, also filled with joy.

Everyone seemed so happy, enjoying the fireworks.

For the first time since Steve had woken up, he felt content. Had you asked him before all this, he would have immediately jumped at any offer to go back where he left off. Right now, he understood his purpose. Steve was a 21st century hero now, it was where he belonged. His mother always said life would give him purpose and this was it. He was meant to be more than the fragile skinny kid from Brooklyn, even that it was still him at his core.

Steve was here and he couldn't change it. He would never truly move on from Bucky or Peggy. Bucky would always be his best friend in the world and Peggy would always be his first love, but he knew that he had options. Steve would save New Yorkers and the world, but he would do it in 2012 now.

The last firework blasted through the sky. He didn't want the night to end, but it had to. Steve offered Emily a ride home, but she was carpooling with people so didn't need to. After a kiss on the cheek and one last happy birthday, she headed off.

Steve waited until everyone was gone before he left. As he sat in the car, presents loaded in the back, he looked up at the sky. For the first time, the future wasn't scaring him.

**Hi all, hope that you enjoyed it! Sorry it was short; it's more of a filler chapter.**

**Next Time: Steve and Emily are sent on a mission, but it begins to go terribly south and puts perspective into their lives.**

**Thanks again, please review and I hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thank you so much for the support so far- don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 14**

Even in summer, Alaska snowed.

Steve was driving as Emily looked at the SHIELD tracker. The blond didn't feel the cold, but he still had to blend in, so he wore a large winter coat. Emily was bundled up in a sleek coat, hat, gloves and a scarf, shivering against the Alaska chill. Her cheeks had lit up red.

Some militia group had got hold of some weapons using some tech picked up in New York- they seemed to have gotten everywhere. Emily and Steve were sent off to Alaska to sort it out, as they were officially attached to the post-Invasion mission. Again, Steve was glad to be with Emily. They'd suffered through an eleven hour flight from JFK, the pair watching an inflight movie or two on the way in. Their motel wasn't too great- Emily was pretty sure that there were blood stains on some of the walls- but it wasn't too bad.

Steve had slept on the ground in Nazi occupied Europe; an uncomfortable motel bed was the least of his concerns. The bed, however, was a little on the small side, which meant his body was touching Emily's as they slept. It didn't bother Emily, who was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow, but it made Steve's heart flutter.

She really did have a hold on him.

"We're not really being subtle, are we?" Steve asked, "I mean, we're driving an SUV into the middle of butt nowhere Alaska, away from civilisation. If they're watching the area, which they most certainly are, they're going to wonder why on earth we're heading their way."

"We're a couple on vacation in Alaska who got lost," Emily replied, "We met in a bar when I spilled a drink on you, you were a gentleman then asked me on a date. You're Patrick and I'm Audrey. If they spot us, we can say we're headed to the local beauty stop and our GPS went wild. We have no signal and are totally lost. I think that works."

"Did you just make that up on the fly?"

"It's always best to have a backup plan. Don't offer too much deviation from that, the smaller the lie the easier it is to contain. Anyway, the SHIELD comms team have been monitoring this base for months. There are no cameras that can be seen, the one on the front hidden by a bush is a dummy. These guys are lax; they don't think anyone is going to find them in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. No one comes in or out, SHIELD hasn't found anyone. All we have to do is get confirmation of weaponry and then we'll work with the local police and the FBI to snare them. Ok our GPS has us in the right location. Did you bring your shield?"

"Fury wants me to learn to do things without it. Besides, too many people would notice if I tried to put it through baggage claim."

Emily laughed, "You could say you're a cosplayer."

"Say what now?"

"People who dress up in costumes from games and movies and TV shows, like Star Wars or Harry Potter. So many people are dressing up as the Avengers; so many kids' parties are doing themes. Just the other day, I saw two guys dressed as you and Thor. Problem was they were both middle aged men with beer bellies. Thor's got a godly physique and your abs make a male stripper feel ashamed."

Steve blushed slightly at Emily's compliment.

"Ok, I think this is the place. Ok perfect, there's a lost area that the rangers have set up, that makes us look normal. Let me check the GPS, ok I've transferred it to the watch. Let's get these sons of bitches."

Loading her pistol, Steve did the same.

Emily looked perfectly nonchalant as they exited the car, heading to an area of the forest hidden by drooping snowy trees. The watch Emily wore was a high tech SHIELD one that could be used as a tracker and map, the comms team feeding in the information. A scanner was in it too, helping to detect hidden entrances. When they headed closer to a small part of the hill, the watch started flashing a red colour.

"Here we are," Emily held her watch out, "Let's see how we get in."

The watch scanned, bleeping as the thermal imaging showed the outline of a door hidden under a block of snow.

"Any way we can get in?"

"We're going to have to work it out," Emily went forward, shaking part of the snow. Underneath a frozen patch was a digital lock. Before Steve could even ask what the numerical code was, Emily put an automatic detonator under it. Emily turned away as it blew, the door opening with it.

"Gentlemen first," she offered.

Steve chuckled, taking the gun from his belt and drawing it first. Emily went behind him, also drawing her pistol. Inside were several corridors before they arrived at a small room that was basically a security area. All the screens were turned off, but they looked as though they had been used. Several filing cabinets lined the wall, as well as a coffee machine on a small table next to a door. Everything else was eerily quiet.

"What do you think?"

"I don't think that camera was a dud," Emily started flicking through the controls, "It may not be in use at the moment, but I think it's a working one. These aren't dusty, these are clean. I think they've been in use recently, it is just a case of checking. These controls though, I think that these are duds, I can't work them. I don't know why they'd be fake- maybe they want to hide how to access the cameras? Why would they do that then?"

"They'd do that if the cameras weren't pointing at outside- they're pointing somewhere else."

"A remote lab," Emily's eyes narrowed, "It has to be in this complex, there's no way they could get range out here. That coffee maker- is that in use?"

Steve lifted the cap, "Residue, nothing else. Crap, Em."

She looked up to see Steve leaning down to the waste basket, pulling out a half eaten sandwich. He sniffed it, frowning.

"That's not off at all, I'd say that's been eaten in the past day. They've been in and out of this building and SHIELD had no idea."

"Then we need to get moving," Emily rose from the controls, grabbing her gun, "Check the filing cabinets with me."

They were empty, so Steve and Emily moved along the corridor.

"The heat signature on the watch isn't working," Emily started hitting it, "I think it's malfunctioned."

"We'll have to work without it," Steve indicated to a door, "Only other door for a while, if there are weapons here, then they'll be in this room."

Using all his strength, he kicked it down. Inside was a lot of storage, from briefcases to shipment crates. Looking at one another, they went to the nearest briefcase and opened it up.

No surprise, it contained a rather nasty looking gun. Several other containers also held weapons.

"I don't like this," Emily looked around, "It's too easy."

"You're right," Steve agreed, "We need to get out of here and quickly. Ok let's take some suitcases and get the hell out of here, we'll meet the police at the local station, the FBI will meet us there."

Steve's sharp hearing suddenly went into motion as his ears pricked up. There was something or someone there though, he didn't know what. Before he could say anything, a small projectile flew from behind the crates.

"Grenade!" he yelled.

Emily immediately kicked it before rolling under a table. Unfortunately for her, it didn't go too far, letting out some kind of gas. Emily coughed violently, Steve crawling from his hiding place to reach her as he heard her throat closing up. Before he could, he felt someone grab his arms. His strength kicking in, he grabbed the person and threw them over the table away from Emily. That person wasn't the only one there, for he felt a sharp pain in his side. Momentarily weakened, someone pulled his hands behind his back and cuffed him.

As much as he pulled, he couldn't get away from the cuffs. These must be special ones, he thought, as he couldn't get them off him. His thought wasn't on him anyone, it was on Emily. As the smoke cleared, he pushed his way up to look for her. Struggling against his bonds, he saw Emily, also cuffed, be dragged up more roughly than needed from a woman of her size.

Hearing her hiss, he struggled forward.

"Here I was, thinking SHIELD would be more careful," a man sauntered forward, holding Emily's badge, "But at least they send their prettiest women."

He gripped Emily's jaw, inspecting her like cattle.

"You get your hands off her," Steve half-yelled.

"Oh how sweet, boy protects girl," the man laughed, "In case you didn't realise, I'm Adrian, head of all of this. I'm glad you thought this little place was worth all this trouble, we know you've been surveying us for weeks, you're not sleek. Here I was, thinking SHIELD were smart. They send two agents in without realising we're here. Well, at least we know how we can move everything. Don't bother with the cuffs mister, they're extra strength and moulded to your wrists. You won't be able to get out of them, neither will you dear."

"What's the deal with the cameras?" Emily asked.

"Seeing as I plan to kill you both, I think I can tell you. I used the technology from New York to create untraceable cameras. They're both inside and outside the hideout, so we've known about SHIELD ever since they started looking for us. I can say it's a bit of a surveillance failure, don't you think? Anyway, they'll be losing two agents tonight. First, we're going to have some fun. I have a few toys that I want to play with and I think we've found some lovely volunteers. Let's start with the girl."

Adrian was handed what looked like a cattle prod. As Emily was held down, he hit her with it.

Emily immediately let out a yell as she was brought to her knees, a scream tumbling out of her mouth. Her body shuddered, uncontrollable for a second.

"This thing is rather incredible," Adrian held it up, "Sends out shockwaves to pain receptors in the body so that they all react at once. I'm impressed the girl didn't scream more, it's apparently very painful. Anyway, it's market research, isn't it? I know I can make it more painful. There are already investors lined up to buy it, I think it'll make quite the profit on the black market. Maybe if I jab it a little differently..."

He jabbed it further into Emily's skin, but she managed to hide her cry- though a stinging tear fell down her cheek. After it went in further, Emily indulged Adrian with an agonising scream. Steve's heart leapt and he attempted to push his way through his bonds, wanting to reach her. He snapped back, anger brewing at the laughter that was struck up by his reaction.

"You can do what you like to me," he attempted to plead, "Anything, ok? Test whatever you like on me, hurt me, but just leave her ok? I can provide more of a reaction."

Adrian burst out laughing.

"How adorable. Unfortunately, your attempt to protect your fellow agent just shows me that it'll be more effective to hurt her in front of you. Misguided, but adorable nonetheless."

Emily opened her mouth, non verbally begging Steve to stop, but one look on his face told her not to.

"It's a shame I have to hurt you dear," Adrian gripped her face again, "You're a pretty little thing, I wouldn't mind having a slice of you. Maybe I can get my wish soon enough."

"I'd rather dip myself in acid than have your rancid parts near me," Emily hissed.

In one fell swoop, Adrian punched her in the stomach, watching her double over in pain.

"Oh sweetheart, how lovely it is to hear your strength," he spoke lowly as he gripped her face again, "Maybe pain is your thing dear, I have a lot of instruments can be used for that."

Steve went red. He watched Adrian invade Emily's space, his breath against her cheek and his hand tightly grabbing her face. All he wanted was to get out of his bonds so that he could punch Adrian down and get him away from Emily. Seeing her hurt, it angered him beyond belief. Emily could handle herself, but it didn't mean Steve wanted her in pain. SHIELD had failed monumentally here, putting them in a trap. Steve knew that they could eventually get out, but he just wanted Adrian's guts right now. Emily was putting on a strong face, but he could tell she was in pain.

They were torturing the person who meant most to him. His mind flashed back to Bucky, delirious after HYDRA had used him as a guinea pig. Emily was squirming against Adrian's grip and all Steve wanted was to have her safely away from here.

If they got out of this, he'd be having words with SHIELD. They'd been put in massive danger.

It probably wasn't as long as he thought, but it felt like an age as he watched Adrian continually prodding Emily. It was as though his senses had faded away, the words spoken by others were a blur. Everytime he saw Emily double up in pain, he wanted to break out in anger. Steve would try so hard to break from the handcuffs, but he was simply unable to.

All he could do was listen to Adrian boast about his brilliant technology, with an interlude of him torturing Emily.

Then Emily coughed slightly. He looked up, catching her eye. With a slight indication of her head, she showed off what looked to be a small plug. Indicating with her bound wrists, she mimed connecting the cuffs with the socket, as though it disconnected them.

It was worth a shot.

Whilst Adrian's back was turned, Emily counted down from three. In a quick motion, both had the back of their cuffs connected with the plug. There was a small fizz before the cuffs simply fell off.

In the few seconds between this happening and the thugs realising that their captives had freed themselves, both Steve and Emily had their guns.

"Get the grenades!" Adrian yelled.

One of the goons picked them up, but Emily shot his arm. He fell down screaming, Emily impressively jumping over a large number of crates. She rolled underneath it, firing several perfect shots at several of the grenades. They blew up, causing a diversion. Covering her nose and mouth with the top of her shirt, she sprinted through the gap and sent several shots in the direction of the goons.

"Look out!" Steve yelled as one of them came forward with a sawed off shotgun. Grabbing Emily's hand, he pulled her next to him and kicked up a table. It was a temporary shield before he kicked it in the direction of the goon, knocking the wind out of the guy. Emily used this time to fire at him, hitting him in the stomach.

"We need Adrian alive for intel," Emily whispered.

"Ok, I'll focus on cornering him, you round up the last ones."

Emily nodded, jumping over some crates and rushing off down the corridor. Steve looked out from behind a table to see Adrian desperately trying to save some tech. He grabbed a heavy looking box, the blond threw it at Adrian with all of his might. This paid off as it hit Adrian in the head, knocking him out cold. Steve went forward, checking for a pulse. When he felt it, he bound Adrian's wrists with one of his handcuffs, away from the plugs.

There were only a few more shots before Emily returned. Seeing Adrian on the floor, she grinned. Without thought for himself, Steve rushed over to Emily, who joined him in the middle. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against his chest. Steve held her close to him, feeling her soft hair in the palm of his hand. He felt relief, knowing she was safe.

"Are you ok?" he asked, cupping her cheek. Her hair was messed, she had a bruise forming on the edge of her cheek and she looked shaken. Seeing her like this broke Steve, he felt as though she was putting on a brave face, braver than she was actually feeling.

She nodded slightly, biting her lip, "I'm fine, it didn't hurt that much."

Emily was lying, he knew that.

Before Steve could prod again, they heard people running into the room. Both immediately turned around, guns at the ready.

"FBI!"

They lowered the guns, but only slightly.

"Agent Collins and Agent Rogers?" a gruff looking, middle aged man, went over and shook their hands, "I'm Agent Gilligan with the FBI. This looks like quite a scrap you've had here, you folks ok?"

"They used a few of their tools on Emily," Steve told Gilligan because he knew that Emily wasn't going to make a fuss, "Other than that, we're ok. They're all dead apart from the ring leader, he's tied up over there. There's a lot of tech here, Agent Gilligan, we can walk you through it."

"Thank you, please lead the way."

Steve and Emily walked through the base, talking Gilligan through what they'd learned. Steve kept his eye on Emily the entire time, watching for even the tiniest flinch or hint of pain. She seemed to not be in pain anymore, but he knew that it hurt her when that prod hit her. He still felt anger, the biggest anger he ever felt. Steve wanted to protect her, but SHIELD had failed them.

Once they were done with the FBI, they headed outside to meet with the local sheriff.

"Thanks for your help, we can take it from here," the Sheriff shook their hands, "The FBI are taking this fella into custody, the rest of us will be sorting the bodies and loading the weapons up safely. Great job in there, can't have been easy."

"Is there anywhere that Emily can get looked at?" Steve asked.

"I can get you seen at the local hospital right away, you know where it is? It may not be a high grade place, ma'am, but they can check you over real good."

"I'm fine," Emily protested, "It wasn't fun when it happened, but I feel fine now."

"I'm taking you to the hospital to get checked out and that's final."

"I'll send a message to the best nurse, she'll expect you there. Thanks again for the assistance, I hope you feel better soon Agent."

They thanked the Sheriff, before heading to their car. Agent Gilligan stopped them there.

"We're taking a fast jet back to the Big Apple if you want a ride. How long are you going to be?"

"Emily's going to get checked over at the local hospital, then we're going to get everything from the motel. I'll say a couple hours at most."

"We'll be waiting on the tarmac for you at Snowfall Air Field, just let us know if you'll be delayed. Good luck, roads are a little icy already. We'll see you in a couple of hours."

Steve opened the door for Emily, helping her in despite the protests that she was fine. As he drove to the local hospital, he kept replaying Adrian hurting Emily in his mind. He wished it would go away, but he just felt the largest anger he'd ever felt. Every part of his was red with rage, he knew that he could have broken protocol if it meant saving her. Thank God Emily was smart enough to get them free, he didn't know what he would do if anything more had happened.

He didn't know if someone could mean too much to him, but he knew that Emily did. Everything was starting to change for him, clear up. It took a reckless mission to confirm what he knew all along.

It had been staring him in the face for far too long, but now he knew.

**Hello all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Next Time: Steve confronts Fury about the mission, but his misplaced anger makes Emily collateral damage when he can't talk about his feelings. What will come out?**

**Thanks for the support so far, please review if you can and I hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far xxx**

**Chapter 15**

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT MISSION?"

Steve had arrived back in New York and boy was he pissed. Alaska had been a total fail, SHIELD had just been completely incompetent. They'd been poor in their analysis, sent the team in with no help and just risked everything. Steve had beaten the odds before, hence why he was here. The problem was Emily.

She'd been brilliant, without her they wouldn't have gotten out of there. Still, he couldn't get the sight of her doubled down in pain out of his head. He thought about it before he went to bed, the fear and pain on her face. Steve still wanted to reach in there and rescue her, like he had in Alaska. Emily didn't need someone to rescue her, but he still felt overly protective of her. The anger from this mission stemmed from Emily being tortured.

The hospital said she was fine, nothing wrong. She'd slept for most of the flight home, even asleep when they hit turbulence. She was cheery when she got a cab from the airport, kissing him on the cheek and batting away his suggestions of accompying her home. Emily was fine; he knew it in his heart. She had no physical pain and wasn't mentally scarred by the experience.

It didn't mean that Steve was fine though. As soon as Steve arrived back at base, he marched over to Fury's office. His assistant asked if he had an appointment, but Steve brusquely brushed her off by barging straight in there.

He was in no mood for games right now.

"You got out alive and with the goal reached, I don't see the problem here Rogers," Fury leaned back, fingers knotted together.

"I don't care about that," Steve snapped, "I care about the fact that SHIELD completely failed. They just assumed that these guys weren't there, there was nothing beyond cameras. Did you not think of anything like new technology? It was an ambush. We didn't know until it was too late that there were people in there; they made a fool out of us. We were incredibly lucky that we were near a point where we could unlock the handcuffs; otherwise God knows what would have happened to us. This was a failure Fury; we did not have all the facts."

"Ok SHIELD isn't perfect Rogers but I wouldn't have sent you both if I felt it was a risk. Rogers, you're Captain America, you rescued 300 men from Nazi-held territory. This was a doddle for you."

"Well it wasn't so easy for me to see EMILY TORTURED. They were using these instruments on her, causing her pain and they would have accelerated it had we not got out in time. I saw her in agony and that was because we weren't prepared. I can excuse that incompetence on the grounds that we got out, but I will not stand for it when Emily is hurt in front of me. She's fine now, I get it, but that should never have happened. I am not watching that happen to her ever again."

"Well I know now that you're not doing any assignments with Collins ever again."

"Why? We work great together."

"You come barging into my office, not about how pissed you were about anything but the safety of a friend. Collins is perfectly capable of doing risky missions because she is a good agent. I know how much Collins means to you but I let it slide. Collins works with her uncle and friends all the time, but it never seems to be a problem with her because she can keep her emotions in check. You worked well together but I'm not risking having you blow a mission because you won't to go all hero for her. Whatever feelings you have for Collins, you need to sort them the hell out."

"I don't have feelings for Emily," Steve spluttered, knowing full well he was lying to himself.

"Whatever they are Rogers, you at least care about her enough to run into my office acting like a man possessed."

"Regardless of that, it was still a shitty situation."

"Those involved will be talked to, it's a learning curve. SHIELD isn't perfect, not by any stretch, and we can use these situations as part of practice. SHIELD knows to look at technology and communications now, this will prevent situations where agents might not be as lucky as you and Collins."

"I hardly call Emily lucky."

Fury gave him the strongest death glare imaginable.

"I don't have time for your temper tantrum Rogers. This mission did have it issues, but we're ok now. You got out of it ok, as did Collins. You cannot let personal feelings get in the way of missions anymore, you have to understand that. I expect better from Captain America."

"Well it's a good job that I don't care what people think of me, sir."

Fury chuckled, "Well that told me, didn't it? Anyway, you made your point, I made mine and I want you to leave right now. You and Collins will not be on a mission together for a long, _long _time_. _Now get the hell out of my office."

Steve stormed out, banging the door behind him. All he could think of was Emily's face contorted in pain and how he couldn't protect her during that mission. He'd never felt anything like this before.

He knew Fury was right. He couldn't control himself when Emily was around. Peggy would hit him over the head with her handbag, telling him off for going into hero mode when a woman was in trouble- Emily was more than capable. It was the same with Natasha; he'd known her for the best part of a day and half before they went into battle together. He'd launched her off of his shield onto an alien aircraft with ease.

Ok, so Peggy made his heartbeat way too fast, but Natasha didn't. Emily smiling at him made him feel weak at his knees.

"Steve!"

He turned around to see Emily approaching him, a beautiful smile on her face. Steve couldn't take it; he didn't know how to face her when his emotions were taking over. With every step closer she took, Steve felt more fear take his heart.

"Steve, you ok?" she touched his shoulder gently.

Steve snapped back into action.

"I...I have to go," he stuttered, pulling himself away and rushing down the corridor.

"Oh...ok," Emily managed to get out, "Bye."

The brunette watched him pull away, shocked. Steve seemed spooked, she didn't know by what though. He'd been so protective and attentive when they were in Alaska, metaphorically holding her hand in the hospital and letting her sleep against him on the plane home. Then it seemed like it was nothing.

What was going on?

LIGHT ME UP-

Emily was still questioning it a few days later.

"I have no idea why he isn't speaking to me," she prattled on, "Like when we were in Alaska he was just so...like close to me, you know what I mean? After we got those guys, he hugged me real tight then insisted that I go to hospital to be checked out. As soon as we're home poof, he's gone. He won't talk to me, answer my calls or messages. When I approach him in the corridors, he jumps like a spooked horse and runs away. He avoids me; he thinks I don't see him running away when we're in the same vicinity. Like, I'm not stupid. I just want to know why. Steve is the worst liar ever; if I could just get him to talk I'd know, but he's smart enough to stay out of my way for whatever reason. I hadn't spoken to him between getting a cab home and that meeting, so it's not like I've upset him or anything. Like Jesus Christ, this isn't high school, just tell me why you're pissed man."

"Emily, food."

"Alright, sorry," Emily picked up her fork.

The brunette had her uncle over for dinner, something that was a semi-regular occurrence. Emily could cook a storm whilst Coulson could just barely use his microwave and lived on ready meals. She'd often bring him food at work, just so she knew he was eating healthily as his doctors had requested. If Coulson never heard the words 'high blood pressure' again, he'd be a happy man.

She'd made a Russian stew this time.

"Can you think of anything that could have upset him?"

"Steve likes to bottle things in, but this feels more like he's not talking to _me _specifically. I know he's seen my texts, but he just ignores them. I don't know if he's angry or upset, I just have no clue what the hell he is feeling. He's driving me insane."

"Ideally, you need to get him alone when he can't escape. It's not like he'd physically push you away. At home he can ignore your knocks."

"I can pick the lock but I'd rather not."

"Yeah, better not," Coulson agreed, "I don't think he's angry at you anyway, you've been great to him. Whatever it is, I think he's bottling something up. I know you two are close but he is still grieving for everything he lost, there are some things he won't tell you. I'm sure you don't tell him everything."

"It just hurts, he's my friend and he's blanking me."

"There'll be an explanation kid, don't worry," Coulson patted her hand with his palm, "You guys can work it out, those feelings are too strong."

Emily's head shot up.

"What did you just say?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing, nothing," Coulson didn't want to watch Emily fumble her words, "Just let him breathe a bit. That mission you guys went on was tense, I read the report, maybe he's just stressed about it. Steve's a guy that's all about honesty and transparency. That mission was a total disaster. He'd maybe just a bit wound up, he's going from basically being allowed to do what he wants to being in a long chain of command in a new century. Look, you and I have both had missions that have gone south. In the 90s, just as the Cold War was ending, I was supposed to be protecting a Soviet defector with plans regarding a submarine that could be used to launch at the base we have in South Korea. Our plans were leaked and he ended up dead. I was so angry that it took Fury talking me out of it himself to prevent me from quitting."

Emily nodded understandingly.

"I know Bolivia pissed him off a lot, he hated Rumlow after that. Well, you know he did punch him out later. Yeah, I suppose you're right. Still, usually he talks to me about it. I was on the mission with him; he has no excuse about confidentiality or whatever. Do you like the stew?"

"Your cooking is always amazing Em, you don't need to ask. I think I'll need seconds."

"Good. I was going to give some to Steve for leftovers but something tells me he won't be accepting them."

She gave a light shrug.

"Ok, this time I'll be ok about you two being at odds as I get more of your food," Coulson laughed.

"Men say women are complicated but boy, guys like to keep their secrets. If anyone wrote a book about the secrets regarding their gender, they would be richer than J K Rowling. Maybe I'd go like Mel Gibson in _What Women Want. _With all the crazy superhero shit, there's gotta be a powered individual who needs a day job."

Coulson burst out laughing.

"You do make me laugh kid, you know that right?"

"Steven Grant Rogers doesn't know what he's missing," Emily smirked as she drank, before her face went more serious, "You think he'll talk to me again, right? I don't want him going down a bad path and I know it sounds arrogant, but I think he needs me. Also, I don't like him not talking to me. I miss him as crazy as that sounds, but I do. He means a lot to me."

Coulson nodded understandingly.

"Whatever it is, just let him have his space."

LIGHT ME UP-

Emily normally listened to her uncle's advice, but she wasn't one for waiting. She needed answers. This time, she compromised. She waited a few days, hoping Steve would come around. Unfortunately, Steve continued to ignore her. It was driving her crazy, she had to act. By the time a week had come around, Emily had had enough.

She found herself in a parking lot next to Steve's apartment, having checked the logs. He wasn't at work, so there was a good chance he was home. If he wasn't there or didn't answer her, she'd pick the lock. Emily didn't particularly want to do that, but she had no choice. She needed to see what Steve's deal with.

It would piss off his neighbours, but Emily wasn't scared of them. A flash of the gun and the badge usually had people melting away immediately.

As soon as she got to Steve's door, she knocked on the door. Listening intently, she heard what sounded like his tender footsteps going over to see who was on the other side. Waiting, Emily was sure he was ignoring her.

She started hammering on the door then, hammering so hard she swore that her knuckles were bruised. Steve would get tired of it, she knew that. She turned out to be right, because Steve eventually almost ripped his door open.

"Finally, thank you," Emily bypassed him to enter the apartment.

"Emily, can you please leave?" he asked gently, sighing slightly.

"Not until I find out why you've been ignoring me for the past week. No, I don't want to hear excused. I brought you apple pie so what we are going to do is eat some of my delicious creation and then you are going to tell me why you've been making me feel like shit for the past week. Sit down, I'll get the plates."

For some reason, unknown to Steve, he listened to her. He sat on the sofa whilst Emily busied herself in the kitchen.

"Ok, eat," she instructed, placing one plate down in front of him.

They ate in silence, Steve enjoying the pie as usual. He went to clean up the plates, but Emily stopped him and did it herself.

"Ok," she walked back out, "I want to know why you're ignoring me, go."

Steve stood up, "I don't want to talk about it Emily, I just want to move it along. Thank you for the pie, it was delicious as usual, but this isn't going to sweeten me into talking. Look, I know you mean well, but some things aren't for sharing."

"Look, everyone has secrets but they can go about them by still talking to their friends. I'm not expecting you to tell me everything but come on; you have blanked me for a week. We were fine in Alaska then you just treat me like I'm the bubonic plague. You at least owe me an explanation as to why I'm the one in the firing line."

Hands on her hips, she stared at Steve expectantly.

"I said no Emily. Can we just move past this?"

"No, we cannot move past this _Rogers_," Emily put emphasis on the last word, "I want you to tell me what's happened and I want an honest answer."

"Em..."

"Steve, I've felt like crap for the past week. Do you know how it feels to have a dear friend ignore you for what seems like no reason? I've seen you run away like a frightened rabbit and I _know _that you have completely ignored my texts. It hurts Steve, it hurts," Emily put a hand to the centre of her chest, "Just tell me why so I can understand what went on. For God's sake Steve, this wasn't you being upset at the world; this was you being upset with _me."_

"I'm not upset with you Em."

"Angry then?"

"Not angry either."

"Then what is your deal?"

"That mission is my deal," Steve almost yelled back.

"It was a shit mission but blame SHIELD, not me. As I recall, I was the one who saved our asses from being sent back in a body bag."

"Ok, this is what happened. In that mission, I have felt an anger that I have never felt before in my entire life."

"Steve, that's normal. I've felt pissed at missions before, it was a terrible time."

"It wasn't that. Yes, I was angry at SHIELD for leaving us in the lurch but it was something else, something else that just angered me. It was when they hurt you."

"Again, normal. I would have been the same if they'd hurt you."

When I saw them holding you like that, I wanted to just break out of there and hurt them all. When that bastard was caressing your cheek and talking about you like a sex object, I felt utter rage. Then they put that damn cattle rod in you, put you in pain. I felt just red with anger; I could have easily broken out of my bonds and killed them all on the spot. There was nothing that could have stopped me from getting to you; I wanted you safe. That alone motivated me, not getting those weapons out of their hands. Fury won't let me do missions anymore after I protested about your safety. I didn't tell him any of that, he probably wouldn't let me even sit with you writing reports. The thought of you in pain terrifies me. I see your face at night, how it was when they hurt you. I want it to stop; I hate the fact that I couldn't protect you like I should have. If you weren't so sharp, they could have quite easily killed us. I...I can't lose you, you mean too much to me."

In that moment, Steve surprised himself and Emily. He kissed her.

It lasted only a few seconds, but it blew them both away. His hands tangled in Emily's hair, he pulled away in shock.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he apologised.

"I didn't ask you to stop."

Steve was surprised by Emily kissing him back. It was more of a real kiss that time, passionate and full of longing. Steve wrapped his arms around Emily, Emily's arms around Steve's shoulders. Every feeling they had came tumbling out in that kiss, which was turning into a make out session. Neither of them wished to stop, but they had to for air.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," Steve admitted his forehead against Emily's.

"Same here," Emily let out a laugh, "Took us a while, huh?"

"I liked you the second that you kicked that kid's ass in training; it just took me a while to realise."

"He's not a kid; he's like three years younger than you."

"Way to ruin the moment," Steve put a hand through her hair, "Ok, so maybe kid was a push. Look, I am so sorry that I treated you like that this week, you didn't deserve it. You are way more in touch with your feelings than I am; I had no idea how to process how I feel about you. That mission made me realise how much I feel for you, especially since we've only known each other a few months. After everything with Peggy, I thought that it was it for me in the love department, especially since she and I were never officially together. Then I met you and I knew that everything had changed for me. You've made me feel so much joy."

Emily was on the verge of tears.

"Just try not to ignore me again when you feel emotions," she whispered.

"I promise."

"You are so much more than Captain America to me; I've fallen for Steve Rogers. I was like you; I didn't know myself until now. Maybe I was in denial or maybe I was just dumb, but you are the only guy in the world who has ever been able to make me feel like this. I may be 24, but I feel like a teenager all over again. I think it's the abs, I now feel free to say you are _the _most attractive man I've ever seen in my life."

"I hated it when guys flirted with you."

"Funny, I felt the same when girls flirted with you," Emily shrugged, "I think we're in sync. Oh, I rhyme."

"That's the joy you make me feel, right there," Steve pointed to her sweet smile, "Can I kiss you again?"

"Honey, it's sexier when you don't ask me," Emily leaned up; the two passionately kissed again. Steve enjoyed every moment, his heart beating fast as he felt her perfume rise up into his nostrils. It felt right.

"I want to take you out properly, on a date," he started playing with her hair again, "I want to treat you right, spoil you like a gentleman should. We can go on a nice dinner; there are a few great gourmet places down the street."

"I don't need expensive dinners, I'd be happy anywhere as long as you were with me. Gosh, look at what you've turned me into Rogers; I'm a soppy mess right now."

"No, I want to take you out somewhere real nice. This should be a great first date. Oh crap, now I've realised I've never been on a proper date and have no idea what the hell I'm talking myself into. Now you're the one turning me into a stuttering mess."

"Hey, look at me," Emily touched his cheek, "It's gonna be great and I for one cannot wait to go on a date with you. No worries, I'll be with you every step of the way."

It was the kindness too; Steve knew Emily really had his back.

"That means the world to me, doll."

"Doll, I like that, it needs to make a comeback," Emily observed, "You can keep the apple pie by the way, now that I'm not mad at you anymore. If you had pissed me off, I would have thrown it in your face."

"Well I think I've had a great deal tonight, a beautiful dame and some perfect pie. We're not going to..."

"...Tell anyone about this?" Emily agreed, "Yeah, I think it's fair that we keep our private life on the down low. Besides, I find the sneaking around part of this a rather sexy concept. Sneaking kisses at SHIELD, hmm, that will be fun."

"Stop it you temptress," Steve teased, "I will book us a table Saturday evening at the best restaurant that you can imagine, we can both dress to the nines. I'll pick you up, drop you home."

"I'm going to help pay."

"Em, my bank account was frozen and I have YEARS of army back pay, I can more than afford to treat a really special girl. Besides, a gentleman always pays for the first date. I could not, in good conscience, let you pay for a thing."

"Chivalry isn't dead, but women not having jobs may be. A first date dinner sounds wonderful Steve, I will be happy with whatever you surprise me with."

"Then that is what you'll get."

"I better go now, I actually didn't expect it to last this long. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"I'll walk you to your car."

"Well I'm not going to pass up that opportunity," Emily smirked, taking her bag and squeezing Steve's arm when he offered it to her. They walked downstairs in a blissful silence, none of them wanting to break the peace with words. When they arrived at her car, Emily turned to Steve.

"I don't have much else to say, so I'll leave you with a parting kiss," she leaned up, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"I'll take that," Steve whispered as it was over, "See you tomorrow."

He opened the car door for Emily, waving as she sped into the night. Once she was gone, Steve couldn't help jumping in the air with his fist clenched.

Maybe things weren't so bad.

**So they finally got together, who knew it would take this long?**

**Next Time: We join Steve and Emily on their third date at the movies. How's it going for them so far?**

**Thanks again and don't forget to review, especially if you like what you saw in this chapter xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far and I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far! Don't forget to review xx**

**Chapter 16**

As far as first dates go, Steve was very happy with how his with Emily went.

He'd promised her a nice dinner at an even nicer restaurant, even though Emily didn't want him spending so much money on her. Steve didn't care; he wanted Emily to be spoiled. He'd chosen an upscale restaurant specialising in Mediterranean food. Both had dressed nicely, Emily drop dead gorgeous in a red dress that showed off all of the right places.

They drank, they ate and they talked. Steve was glad that Emily laughed at his jokes; he was scared that he wouldn't be funny. When the bill came, Steve wouldn't let Emily look at it. As much as she insisted women could pay their way in this day and age, Steve insisted a gentleman should always pay for dates. Considering the army couldn't refuse an American hero back pay or his old bank account, Steve was sitting on a rather nice amount of cash.

He walked her to her door and received a heart melting kiss as a thank you.

Their second date was to a pop up art exhibit. Emily had no interest in art but had agreed to go seeing as Steve liked it so much. Unfortunately, neither had expected the lone chairs on tables and half broken cameras that constituted as quirky modern art. Luckily, Emily put on a serious art historian voice and pretended to be some stuffy old man. Steve laughed so hard he nearly peed. Both agreed that if they were to visit an art exhibit again, it would be old portraits or something.

Steve had hoped his relationship with Emily wouldn't suffer when they started dating. Luckily, he was even more enamoured with her. She was still so joyful and happy, quick witted and ready to jump into conversation. Whenever he talked about things he didn't like, she was quick to comfort him with a squeeze of a hand. All of the things he'd enjoyed when they were friends were still there, along with the added comforts of kisses.

The most innocent part of it was hand holding. Steve liked the feeling of his fingers lacing with Emily's, pulling her close so he could kiss her temple.

She also made his heart race like a motorcar, but he still felt that old fashioned propriety. He was raised in the 40s where sex was taboo. He was a soldier, his friends had more women than anyone, but Steve was not one of those people. Being a Catholic from the 40s made him rather proper. What he couldn't help was how he felt when he looked at her.

The two dates had been informal ones, but Steve was hoping that Emily would agree to be with him properly after this date. He wanted it to be serious. He'd never had a girl before and he just really hoped that Emily would want to be his steady. Steve had loved Peggy, but the furthest they got was a kiss. If he was going to do this properly, he wanted it to be with the girl who made his heart skip a beat.

It was a trip to the movies this time. Steve had offered for Emily to pick the movie, but she'd said that it was important he see something he wanted, not one she recommended. He ended up choosing a film about the Korean War.

He didn't care if the movie was good; he just wanted to get through it so he could ask Emily to be his girlfriend.

Steve walked to Emily's door, knocking on it briskly. Emily opened it quickly, smiling excitedly. Even in an off the shoulder tee and shorts, he felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Hi honey," she leaned up, pressing her lips against his. She liked cherry lip smackers the most, so Steve tasted them all day after he kissed her. He liked cherry more than ever now, it reminded him of her.

"Hello doll, ready to go?"

Emily nodded, locking up behind her. She took Steve's buff arm- she was NEVER going to tire of that- and walked down the corridor with him. Her head leaning against his bicep, she felt wonderful.

"The movie has good reviews. My Uncle Stephen and cousin Niall went to see it, said they liked it a lot. You like war films, don't you?"

"Yes, I find them interesting."

"Well the leading man is quite the dish," Emily teased, biting her lip, "But not quite as nice as you."

Steve went red like a beetroot. He still wasn't quite ok with the fact he was seen as a sex symbol. All of the USO girls were all over him at shows, as were the blushing female fans who always tried to steal a kiss or two. Girls flirted with him when he was out, tripping over themselves to talk to him. Before the serum, he was the twig of the boy who girls laughed at. Bucky was the one they all wanted. His best friend was a good man who tried to get girls to dance with Steve, but it was only a short pity dance. Being a good looking man was not something he would ever be used to.

Emily would have been the type of girl in the 40s who would be unattainable. A pretty gal who could dance and chat like her would have made her the wish of every man. He'd have to fight through some not so nice men in order to ask her. He got the impression that Emily would have been nice and given him a dance.

"You're a peach."

"Good to see you ain't busting your chops boy. That's right, I spent the morning searching old slang to use."

Steve laughed, opening the car door for Emily. The radio came on automatically.

"I know this song!" Steve exclaimed, "I like it."

It was Michael Jackson's _Billie Jean._

"I remember when he died. The news was huge, it took over the airways for days. I don't remember this much coverage since Reagan and Ford died. He was easily the biggest star of music still going, even beat Bowie and the remaining Beatles. There were people sobbing in the streets, I'm glad I wasn't in NYC when it happened."

"Another one I outlived."

"At least you'll get to experience new music."

"That's true," Steve agreed, "Is that a new manicure?"

"Pea green this time. Claire got teal. We get our manicures done every month together. If one is unable to go, we get the other's permission to go alone, like when I was in London. I try different colours each month, it's fun. I don't think I've done green in a while so I went for it. You know that you can get nail treatments for guys, right? You and Sam could go together."

"Not really my thing," Steve chuckled.

"I bet you'd rock purple. Sam strikes me as a yellow kind of guy."

Steve laughed again, unable to hide his amusement. She made him laugh, however intentionally or unintentionally. He took her hand at the stop sign, smiling as he felt their fingers lace together. Emily pulled his knuckle up, kissing it. That made him smile even more.

"What do you fancy for dinner?" Emily asked.

"Hot dogs?"

"Sounds good to me- I was hoping you'd say that but I asked to be polite. We can park next to the movie theatre; there are a few places around there. Save some room for popcorn though, even though I will probably steal most of it and you'll let me because I'm pretty."

"You're modest too."

"You know it babe," she shot finger guns at him, "Oh, there's a space there. Hey asshole! Get out of neutral and move it, we wanna get this space. Oh for the love of Christ, can he actually move? At least get out of neutral if you're gonna stop, I don't need the fumes. Finally, move it."

"Em, I really don't need us getting into an argument over road rage."

"I could take him. The gun scares people- one look and they freak out. Automatic win every time. Also guys find it hard to get angry at girls, seriously, they'll knock a man out for spilling their drink in a bar but if it's a girl, they apologise and offer to buy _them _a drink."

She let out an evil smirk.

"Something tells me that this is from experience."

"One day, you'll learn all the stories that I have. I would tell you the full story of that now, but you'd purse your lips and do the 'Righteous Captain' stare."

"The what now?"

"The 'Righteous Captain' stare is this look you do when you disapprove of someone. You sort of clench your jaw like *this*- by the way it's very sexy when you get all angry and bossy- and narrow your eyes a little bit when someone does something not very patriotic or good. It's like when I met Tony and he made this comment about us sleeping together, you did it then. Now I know it was probably repressed feelings or jealousy, but you still do that look."

"I don't."

"You do."

"Well you have a look."

"Oh?"

"When you're very smug about something or have an idea that technically isn't allowed, you have this smirk on your face like you know what's about to go down. It's kind of like the evil stepmother sending the protagonist of the story off to a boarding school far, far away. Maybe I should give it a name like you gave me one? Hmm, what shall I go for? How about 'The Emily Look?' It does what it says on the tin. I like it, it stays."

"Don't play games with me Rogers, cause I can win," she did the exact smirk, "Besides, I like it."

"Right there- that's the look."

"Glad to know I'm in practice. Anyway, I'm starving so let's go eat."

They went arm in arm as they headed to the food court. Just as they got near the hot dog place, Emily let out a loud gasp and grabbed Steve, pulling them behind a low wall.

"What's wrong?" a shocked Steve asked, watching Emily look back and forth like a wild animal.

"It's Bob and Yvette."

"Sorry, who?"

"You know when you rescued me from that very awful date with that boring accountant? That's him. Yvette is his sister, the one in the yoga class that Claire dragged me to every so often. We actually had to stop going so I could avoid Yvette, I wasn't dealing with that fallout. Like I'm not scared of her, but she's super perky and I bet her version of angry would just piss me off. Look, I feel a tiny bit bad for leaving him in the lurch like that but he was just so _boring _I wanted to cry. Can we just wait here until he's gone? Please."

She did her cute puppy eyes and Steve immediately softened. Emily kept lookout until she saw them head into their car.

"We're good! Let's go Steve-o."

Just as she got up, she didn't see where she was going and fell over a discarded soda can. Steve caught her immediately.

"Looks like I fell for you. Ha, get it? Anyway thanks. God that was like a movie just then, wasn't it? The cute clutzy office girl falls over in the New York streets and is caught by a handsome man who she'll be with by the end of the film."

"I'll take that as my thank you."

"Oh yes, thank you," Emily leaned up, kissing the corner of Steve's mouth, "Is that good enough for you honey?"

"I can't complain darling," Steve's lips curved into a smile, "Now let's eat."

They enjoyed the hot dogs before entering the cinema, Steve ensuring that Emily did not get money out. He did the same at the snacks area when they got extra large popcorn. He'd barely lifted it from the counter before Emily had her hand in it. She looked up innocently as she did, her eyes wide. Steve merely chuckled slightly as they headed into the screen.

"Back in my day, you'd have a newsreel, a couple of short cartoons and a double feature."

"All for a dime with a dame," Emily put on a Depression-era newscaster voice, making Steve laugh again.

"Well I'd spend more than a dime on this dame."

"Good save."

Emily settled into Steve's shoulders as the trailers showed. Steve didn't like the look of most of the movies, but that was probably due to his old fashioned taste. Emily didn't even look at him during the trailers, too engrossed in them. Movies, dance and the Steelers were Emily's true loves, he'd learned that pretty quickly.

When the movie started, Steve did the old 'yawn and stretch.' Emily grinned slightly at it, but said nothing. He liked feeling Emily rest against him, her soft brown hair tickling her chin. She was a comfort to him like a teddy to a child.

It was a pretty good movie. One bit, however, did get Steve. A young man watched his best friend die after being shop by a Korean sniper, bleeding seeping from the chest to the hands. All the soldier could do was watch his companion die, knowing he should have noticed the sniper. Steve felt his breath hitch and he involuntarily tensed up. Emily gripped his hand, forcing him to look at her.

He shook his head to indicate that he didn't want to leave. Emily nodded gently, looping their fingers together. Taking a few breaths as Emily had taught him before, he felt better. It was only a moment, but he felt better. He couldn't hide from these things, he had to embrace them.

"I really liked it, good film. He's always a good director anyway. What did you think?"

"I thought it was pretty great, took a while to get into it but I liked the action scenes. They weren't too overblown but I think it showed war pretty accurately. The scene in the village when they came under fire, which was exactly how it is when your hearing goes and things get confusing. Most films with bullets don't get it right. Call me a stickler for historical accuracy."

"I get it, it's important. I'll have to tell my grandpa to watch this, he loves war films. Let's head out, I need to go to the bathroom. There is gonna be a line and half. I wish there were extra bathrooms for women, we have to go more and we take longer cause we have other stuff going on. I'd vote for whoever pledged that."

Emily was right, there was a huge line. She said she could hold it til she got home, but Steve was fine with waiting for her. He was still wondering how to ask Emily to be his girl, he really hoped that she would say yes. Three dates seemed like ample time for them to see where dating took them and decide whether they were better off as friends or not. With all the kissing and hand holding, Steve didn't see how they could go back to friendship. He was privileged to have her in his life, but he wanted her as his romantic partner.

He thought Peggy would be the only one but he was starting to see that he couldn't put all his eggs in one basket. Emily was a girl he never thought he'd be with, hence why she was perfect for him. He needed someone to push him out of his comfort zone and open his eyes to the world. Steve just loved her joy.

"God I thought I was going to pee myself," Emily sang after she was done, "There's a statue exhibitation at Chelsea Park that's supposed to be neat, want to check it out?"

"It can't be worse than that art exhibit we went to so sure."

"Oh my God, NEVER AGAIN," Emily laughed, "Let's go."

Steve let Emily talk the entire way there, consumed in his thoughts about the pretty brunette with him. The statue exhibit was pretty good, Steve enjoyed the work and laughed throughout as Emily tried each of the poses. He didn't know how she was so bendy, but guessed that years of dance and cheerleading helped her. If Steve didn't have super serum, he'd fall on his face doing what she did. The only other person he thought to be flexible enough was Natasha, who was like some video game character when she fought.

They were nearly back at the parking lot and Steve was ready to burst, no longer able to keep it in.

"Do you want to be my steady?" he blurted out.

Emily stopped in her tracks underneath a tree, "Excuse me?"

"Steady...I mean, oh God, this isn't coming out how I wanted."

"Isn't steady like a relationship term?" Emily asked. She'd heard the term but no one outside of 50s movies used it, not even her grandparents.

"Yes, it is," Steve moved closer, taking Emily's hand, "I really, _really _like you. It's good we had these dates first so we could move correctly, but I could have happily asked you when we first kissed. I really like being with you like this, I think you're probably one of the most amazing women I have ever met. You're really beautiful, like really, I think you have an amazing body and you make my heart tremble. Being with you just makes me so happy. Even that terrible art exhibit was made better by you being there with me. Even before all this, you've always made me feel amazing. You're the best part of this century, bar none. So yes, I'm asking- will you be my girlfriend?"

Without a word, Emily leaned up and kissed him hard.

"Is that a yes?" Steve spluttered when they were done.

"That's a big damn yes to be your steady Rogers," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Fantastic," and with that, they melted into another huge kiss. A group of teenage boys near them started whooping and cheering, encouraging Steve for getting 'with a hot chick.'

"My foot popped."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a movie reference," Emily giggled sweetly.

They both broke apart, laughing hard. Arms around one another, they headed back to the car after what they both deemed a magical night.

Well, it wasn't exactly going to end the next day.

**Hello all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of fluff.**

**Next Time: Steve and Emily's secret comes spilling out and they deal with the aftermath.**

**Thanks again for reading, don't forget to review and I hope to see you next time xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far xxx**

**Chapter 18**

Steve was in a good mood. No, not just a good mood, a damn good mood.

He could still see Emily's coy smile after she kissed him passionately outside of her door and feel the soft movement when her hand left his. Steve was also having...thoughts about Emily, thoughts that left him hot under the collar. Being a Catholic from the 40s who never got anywhere with girls made him a little more traditional about such matters. He hated himself for it, but he couldn't deny that he had a deep attraction to Emily.

Still, he had to hide his feelings at work. They'd agreed they had to keep it separate, it was only fair. Steve was a private person anyway, he didn't like letting his true feelings out. Emily had wanted to work at SHIELD since she was 10 and refused to let anything get in the way of her professional. It would be hard, seeing her at work and wanting to kiss her, but Steve knew they could both make it. Emily was excited by it anyway; she liked a secret work affair.

He felt good for the first time properly, even better than he did on the 4th July. Steve didn't need a woman to complete him, but finding someone he could truly be himself with was nothing short of amazing. He thought it would have been Peggy, but it wasn't. Steve wasn't going to jump the gun and say Emily was his soulmate, but he really did like her. A lot.

That happiness was ruined by one simple message.

_My office right now._

Steve knew what Fury wanted by the way he messaged. He was always short in his messages, but you could always just tell. When there was a mission it was simply 'assignment. Meet me in my office.' When it was something else, it was something else.

He felt like a schoolchild going to the principal's office. Steve didn't know what he had done; he'd been on good terms with Fury since his little outburst a few weeks ago. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

At Fury's private elevator, he scanned his fingerprint to be let in. He missed elevator music; elevators these days were so dull and boring.

When the doors opened up a few floors above him, he was surprised. He was even more surprised when Emily walked in.

"Hi," she beamed.

"Hi," he stepped forward to kiss her before remembering where he was, "What are you doing here?"

"Fury wants to see me."

"Funny, he wants to see me too."

"Maybe we can finally work together again," Emily suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably it." Maybe he'd been paranoid about the message, it was probably just that. He hoped it was that at least, he liked working with Emily. Fury had been keeping a close eye on him, he knew it, so it looked like he'd proven he could keep his emotions in check. Truthfully, Steve had been worried he wouldn't be able to control himself is something happened to Emily. He trusted Emily, but not himself.

If he could learn to control himself then, he could do it now.

Fury's assistant waved them right through the door. When they entered, they saw that Agent Hill was seated at the side. That wasn't good.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" Steve asked politely, having ushered Emily in first.

"Yes, I do," Fury nodded, "I have Commander Hill with me as witness. I'm going to cut right to the chase as I am sure we all have lots to do. I want an honest answer to this question and I'm not accepting any bullshit. How long have you two been seeing each other?"

Fury knew, he had to. He wouldn't call them in unless he was absolutely sure. Still, neither were about to admit it. Time to play dumb.

"We're not seeing each other," Emily feigned ignorance, a look of pure innocence on her face, "I don't know where you'd get that idea. Sure, we're close, but it's friendship."

Fury looked between them. To the untrained eye, Emily lied flawlessly, but Fury knew the truth- that, and he was a human lie detector. Steve, however, was a terrible liar. His eyes flickered to the side and he'd immediately tensed up.

"So you two weren't kissing outside the movie theatre on West 23rd last night?"

The two looked between each other quickly, knowing there was absolutely no wiggle room out of this. They were totally busted.

"How could you possible know that?" an incredulous Emily asked.

"You were seen by a team member who reported it to me, as is protocol."

"Who told on us?" Emily asked in shock.

"That's not relevant Collins. I'd like to know how long this has been going on, as I originally asked."

"A few weeks," Steve told them, "It's not against any rules anyway and even if it was, frankly I don't care. We're not doing anything wrong so I don't know why this is a problem."

"If two SHIELD workers, whoever they are, get together, they are required to inform HR," Commander Hill piped up, "This was implemented in the 70s when there was a rather bad breakup between two agents who then got into a huge fight that cost SHIELD thousands in damages when one drove into a shed. If this has been going on for a few weeks, then it's fair to say that HR should have already been informed."

"Well forgive us for wanting to be quiet about it," Emily interjected, "We didn't want to cause any problems and we wanted to ensure this didn't affect our work. Besides, it wasn't technically official until last night so perhaps we also wanted some breathing room before we were called into our boss' office to have some girl talk."

Steve snorted at the comment, but quickly re-arranged his face when Fury glared at him.

"It's required to be reported. SHIELD needs to know so it doesn't compromise missions and so we're aware of personal issues," Hill continued, "Does being 'official' mean that this is an official relationship between the two of you?"

They both nodded sheepishly.

"Then you two are going to march straight down to HR and report this immediately," Fury told them, "I also think that I do need to look into whether I can trust you to be on missions together considering your romantic entanglement."

"That is unfair," Emily protested.

"You're not the problem, he is," Fury pointed at Steve, "I trust you Collins, you've proven it when you work with Agent Coulson. Rogers, however, seems to have a capacity for getting too personally involved in assignments, especially when he has strong positive or negative feelings for those around him. He already had his little outburst about the Alaska mission, I don't want that happening again."

"That was before Emily and I were together," Steve protested.

"Hence those feelings I talked about are stronger," Fury shot back, "I want your assurance that any personal feelings you have won't get in the way of missions."

"I promise," Steve assured, "I trust Emily's capabilities and I will ensure no mission is risked because of safety concerns."

"You too Collins."

"You just said that you trusted me!" Emily protested again.

"I say a lot of things Collins, now just promise me."

"I promise," she sighed, "Now can we go?"

"Yes. I want you both down at HR right now to report the relationship. I'm going to call down in an hour and if I find out that you two haven't been, I will skin you both alive. Now get out of my sight."

As they both left, Emily stopped and turned around.

"Whoever told on us is a total snitch."

"Get out, Collins."

Steve ushered an incensed Emily out, closing the door behind them. Once they were in the elevator, Emily face planted into Steve's chest.

"I am going to kill whoever ratted us out, what an absolute snitch. Like I love my job, but if I saw two agents making out in the street, I'd say good for them and move on. Sure I'd gossip about it, but I wouldn't go to Fury like a little bitch. Also, New York is HUGE, what are the chances of someone from work seeing us? I don't even see my neighbours outside of the apartment and we live in the same damn building. I'm going to put salt in the coffee on whoever told on us."

"Em, look at me," he cupped her face, "It's ok, I'm sure they had the best intentions."

"No, they're a rat."

"Whatever you say," he couldn't help but smile at her, "We can report it to HR and then we'll decide how to proceed."

"Fine," she agreed as the elevator dinged, "This is our floor. Now let's go and tell that nosy bitch our business. Onward."

She put her hand out dramatically, Steve laughing again. The HR office wasn't far away and when they knocked on the door, they received a cheery 'come in' as a reply.

"Shoot me," Emily whispered before they entered.

"Ah good morning, please take a seat," Helen, the HR manager smiled, especially after seeing Steve.

Steve opened Emily's chair out for her before going into his.

"So how can I help you today?" Helen cheerily asked, "Is it about your relationship?"

Steve and Emily stopped in their tracks, looking at her in utter surprise. After a few seconds, Emily realised.

"It's all over the building, isn't it?"

"Well it's still seen as gossip Agent Collins," Helen assured, "But now that I know that it isn't, I can take a note of it. Ok, here is the file I need. How long has this relationship been going on?"

"We had a few dates for a few weeks, but we didn't make it official until last night," Steve told her, uncomfortable at having to share private info like this.

"So it's serious?" Helen asked.

"Yes," the pair replied simultaneously.

"Whilst Captain Rogers has a higher clearance level, you're on the same rank so therefore it is not an abuse of power. Now, I have to read the necessary text to you."

Steve sat to attention as Helen read them the rules, whilst Emily slouched bored next to him. He tried to indicate that she should listen to it, but one look told him that she didn't give a shit about this. Once Helen was done, Emily immediately sprang to life.

"Remember to update it if there are any relationship changes," Helen reminded them, "Nobody likes a liar!"

"Are you on crack?" Emily blurted.

"Excuse me?" Helen genuinely hadn't heard her.

"That will be all, thank you," Steve loudly replied, trying to ensure neither got in more trouble today, "Emily, we best be going. Thank you for everything, we will update you if anything changes."

Emily faked a smile as they left.

"She's totally on something," she whispered once they were out of the door.

"Not the time Em."

They chatted until they arrived in the main area. As they entered, they were aware of every pair of eyes going straight on them, all whilst everyone continued about their business. Whilst SHIELD was a serious government law enforcement agency, they all craved gossip. When something happened, it was all over. Emily was guilty of that, she was straight to her friends when she heard something juicy.

"They're all staring at us," Steve whispered.

"Then let's give them a show," Emily replied.

With that, she leaned up and passionately kissed him on the lips. Steve smiled before giving into it, caught up in the moment. If everyone had to know, it would best be like this.

"I gotta go," Emily told him as they broke apart, "I am helping the tech people by using my perfect French for them to programme into the new linguistic people. Later baby."

She sauntered off, head held high as she walked out of the lobby. Steve couldn't help but smirk, glancing at the surrounding agents out of the corner of his eyes. Grinning like an idiot to himself, he put his hands in his pockets and went off to tactical training.

LIGHT ME UP-

At the end of the day, Steve couldn't wait to go home. Everyone who was everyone had found an excuse to see him, angling for information. Well, Steve wasn't going to give it. The only two he trusted to talk to were Clint and Natasha, both who had swung by upon hearing the news. Steve thought the two of them to be dear friends, so told them everything. Both were very smug, but clearly happy for the old-fashioned Captain. They both wanted him to loosen up and find himself, which he had done.

There was also the fact everyone knew there were feelings between Steve and Emily, but that was neither here nor there.

Aaron and Natalie had also come in, but Steve knew that Emily would have told them everything- they were two of her very best friends.

As he left, he had the misfortune of passing a certain someone.

"Hey Cap, nice job getting with Collins," Rumlow had his stereotypical arrogant smirk, "She may not look like Morse or Tanner, but she's one of the hottest. Guess I was right about what I said, huh?"

Steve glared at Rumlow as he walked away laughing.

He walked speedily towards the exit, desperate to get home. Until he encountered someone he realised that he'd kind of been avoiding.

"Hi Captain," Coulson smiled.

"Good afternoon Agent Coulson, I was just heading home."

"How funny, so was I. Let's walk together."

Coulson had toned down the fanboy attitude considerably since they first met, acting professionally, but Steve knew that the older man still had a rose tinted view of the Star Spangled Man with a Plan. Emily had been vague about just how much memorabilia her uncle had as not to alarm Steve, but Steve knew that it was a lot. There had been a surge in Avengers merchandise since the Battle of New York and apparently Fury was getting SHIELD's legal team to ensure they all got a cut.

Steve didn't care about the money. It just freaked him out passing Cap toys and miniature shields in store windows.

"So, you and my niece huh?" Coulson started exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"Yes. I assume you've spoken to Emily."

"She gave me the details, yes. We do usually talk to each other about everything, but we don't talk about our romantic lives, that's a bit too much for an uncle and niece to share. Well, I have to say that it was fairly obvious that there were feelings between the two of you."

"You're not the only one to have said that today."

"Figures. Like I said, it was obvious. Well, I can't complain. Emily would never let me interfere with her dating life and wouldn't usually do it anyway, she's a grown woman and that's her business. Still, she'll always be somewhat of little girl to me. I'm glad she's with you. I'm not just talking about her being with an Avenger, that's not relevant. I know Steve Rogers to be a good man, one that will be respectful and kind. Emily lights up around you, even more than usual. Everyone wants the ones they love to be happy."

"Well I'm glad I make Emily happy- she makes me very happy too."

"Good, I'm very glad. Now listen here because I am not about to repeat what I'm going to say to you. Emily is very mature and always has been. She's never let men define her, even when she was a teenager in high school. I doubt that will change now she's twenty four. Still, she's my niece and you know that she's the one I care about the most. I get that not every relationship works out- people break up all the time, we've all had break ups. Some are amicable, others are not. I will still think the same of you if you and Emily ever depart civilly. If you upset here, then that will be a different story. I am a fully trained agent and haven't got to where I am by being innocent. Emily's wellbeing is the most important to me. If I find her shedding even a single tear over you, whatever the reason, then I will show you exactly what I can do. I trust you to be good, but I won't tolerate anyone breaking my niece's heart. She's a strong girl and she'll bounce back, but I don't care about the aftermath. If you hurt Emily, I will devote every resource at my fingertips to ensure that your life is a living hell. I'll have you assigned to Antarctica with no contact with the outside world. You won't be able to look over your shoulder without worrying I'm behind you. That's not to say that Emily won't kick your ass if you hurt her, she's extremely capable of doing so without me babying her. Still, I won't abide anyone breaking her heart. Is that understood Captain?"

Coulson hadn't broken his happy demeanour throughout the entire conversation, but Steve knew he was deadly serious. Emily and Coulson were extremely close, he knew that she loved nobody more than her beloved uncle. She'd joined SHIELD because when she was a kid, she wanted to be like him. Coulson was a calm, often unflappable man, but Steve didn't doubt he would turn angry if Emily's happiness was at peril.

"Yes sir," Steve gulped.

"Well I'm glad that's cleared up, I didn't think we'd have any problems here," Coulson beamed, "We should all have dinner sometime. Well, I say that, Emily will have to cook because I can barely operate a microwave. That's my car, I'll see you tomorrow."

Without another word or glance, Coulson walked up to his beloved Lola and climbed in.

Wondering what awful tortures Coulson could bring upon him, Steve headed to his motorcycle. To his surprise, Emily was leaning against it, waiting for him.

"Hi," he approached, "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I figured you'd be out at this time and if you weren't, I would have left. I just wanted to speak to you before the day was over because, well, it's been interesting."

"It certainly has," Steve chuckled in agreement, linking their hands together, "Has anybody bothered you?"

"Don't worry honey; you don't have to kick anyone's ass. Everyone has been prying but that's to be understood, I'm like that when there's gossip. I had Aaron and Nat to talk about it with anyway, so that's cool. As much as the secrecy was necessary and fun, I'm glad it's out in the open so we can talk to our friends about it. Even Natasha and Clint were acting like teenagers."

"They were the same with me. That was interesting to say the least. Let me know if anyone bothers you though, I'll sort it out."

"I thought we were keeping work and relationship separate?"

"Yes, but I won't tolerate anyone harassing you."

"You're so goddamn hot when you get all protective," Emily moved closer, "I am going to head home to finish my book but I was hoping maybe we could hang out sometime this week. Wednesday after work? I can cook."

"Just the two of us?"

"Just the two of us," Emily confirmed with a smile.

"That sounds wonderful, I'd like that a lot. I'll bring dessert."

"You don't have to."

"If you're going to work hard and cook for us after a long day, I have to contribute. This place near me does these ice cream desserts, I'll bring those."

"If you insist. See you tomorrow my darling," Emily put a hand on the back of his neck and kissed him.

"Goodbye doll."

Steve headed to his bike, waving at Emily as she drove away. God, he was a lucky man.

**Hi all! Hope you enjoyed Chapter 17!**

**Next time: There's a short time jump. An innocuous comment by Tony sparks discussion between Steve and Emily when they realise how different their expectations of a relationship. This will be the last chapter before a longer time jump of three years.**

**Thanks again and don't forget to review. This will probably be the last time I update before 2020, so Merry Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) and a Happy New Year! Xxx**


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support, keep the reviews coming please!**

**Chapter 18**

_Several months later_

"...I swear to God the RA jumped straight up and ran a mile. This guy was screaming and yelling about the halls being haunted and that everyone needed to evacuate. This grown ass man actually thought that- we were pretty sure he wet himself. Meanwhile, we were still both hiding behind the cleaner's cart..."

Everyone listened as Rhodey and Tony recalled a story from their MIT days. They were all laughing, even the normally uptight Steve was chuckling at the idea of a normally sensible college student think their halls were haunted.

Emily was seated between his legs, drink in hand. His chin rested on the top of her head, one of his hands linking with her free one.

They were doing well, very well in fact. The gossip didn't die down at work for weeks, but that was to be expected- they were the Brangelina of SHIELD. Tony, however, seemed the most excited to have Steve with be with someone. He'd liked Emily from their first meeting and thought she was the perfect one to bring the shy blond out of his shell. Steve had gotten very tired of his constant prodding, especially because he liked to keep things private.

Agent Coulson had kept good on his word about being protective of Emily. Emily had invited them both to dinner; cheerily oblivious of the fact her uncle was clearly testing Steve. The dinner had gone well though, as Coulson shook Steve's hand at it to indicate that he approved.

For some reason, Steve felt relieved.

He'd met Claire was well, Emily's best friend. They were polar opposites in so many ways, as Claire was a lot more introverted and less excitable than Emily was. Still, he liked and respected her. It took a lot of guts for her to turn to do a business course instead of college and then open a store in her early 20s. Steve got why Claire and Emily clicked, they just seemed like platonic soulmates. They finished each other's sentences without a thought.

Steve still had a lot to get used to. Sleeping in bed with Emily felt strange, even though he'd done it before when they'd been on missions. He'd never slept with a woman so close to him but he found that he enjoyed it. Emily had cuddled right up to him on the first night and though he felt strange to putting his arms around her, he immediately felt at peace as she lay against his chest.

It was still fairly innocent, at least on Steve's end.

Rhodey and Tony finished the story, making everyone laugh. They gathered in small groups to chat more, with the host of the party finding himself with Steve and Emily.

"How are you two lovebirds?" Tony asked, shifting onto the cushion.

"We're good," Emily smiled, Steve nodding in agreement.

"Ah, the start of a relationship when you're young, there's nothing else."

"I wasn't aware you had relationships Tony, only sex," Emily deadpanned.

"There have been girls I've slept with more than once, dear young thing, I just didn't do commitment until I met Pep. Even I found love and that is a strange thing to say. If you'd told me that ten years ago, I would have thought you were drunker than me on an average night. Besides, you act like sex is a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with enjoying physical passion, it feels damn good."

"I never said sex was a bad thing, you know I don't believe that," Emily put her hands in the air, "I just thought you weren't the relationship type."

"Well you know what they say, teamwork makes the dream work."

Steve shifted uncomfortably, Emily eyeing him.

They'd not go to that part of the relationship yet. Emily had tested the waters with touching, but Steve had given no indication of wanting to take things further. He hadn't explicitly said no, but he hadn't said yes either. Steve was also a little more conservative about talking about such matters; he always pursed his lips when Tony talked about his past debauchery. As far as Steve was concerned, relationships were between the couple that were involved and no one else.

Emily knew the 40s were a lot less liberal about sex and other things, but it wasn't like everyone was totally celibate. Steve had been in the army, the guys must have talked about sex, especially when they had their pin up girls. It wasn't like Steve was raised in a convent; he'd lived in working class Brooklyn all his life. When society wasn't involved, people must have played.

It didn't go unnoticed by Emily that Steve seemed withdrawn for the rest of the night. The rest of the group chalked it down to Steve being an introvert, but Emily knew her boyfriend. The comment had upset him.

She finally had a chance to talk to him when they were alone, driving home.

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"You know what."

Steve clenched his jaw as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Steve, we've been together for several months. Look, I get that you come from a different time where people didn't talk openly about these things, but people were still having sex in relationships. If you want to wait, then I don't mind. I am happy to wait until you are comfortable because I know that sex is a very intimate thing and people wait until they give it up. We're together for a reason and whilst it's nice kissing and holding hands, I would actually like to sleep with you. If you can just communicate to me how long it'll be, I'll shut up. It's not like I'll break up with you if we don't have sex, I'm not an asshole."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Steve, honey, I get that your first time is a scary thought but relationships are about intimacy. Sex is as intimate as you can get, at least physically. What Tony said freaked you out, I get it, but I'm not doing to break up with you if we don't have sex right now. Just talk to me."

"I come from a different time, Emily. Ok so people had sex back in the 40s and it wasn't all innocent. I was in the army, I saw guys coming back with prostitutes all of the time. Still, I was raised Catholic and believe me, girls weren't lining up to be with me. I want to wait; I believe that sex is between two people who are truly committed. Em, I never thought I'd find anyone in the 21st century but I met you. I wouldn't have taken that chance if I didn't 100% know that I had fallen deeply for you. Can we just forget it for now?"

"I don't want to badger you, but we need to be honest with one another if this is going to work. You don't have to give me a specific date and time, but I'd like to talk about where you're comfortable. Just at least let me know where you stand with touching certain parts etc, I'd like to know what you are happy to do and what you won't. If you don't absolutely ok it, I won't try."

Steve didn't reply.

Emily leaned her head back against the seat rest, pursing her lips. She had no idea where to go with this. She'd told herself that she'd wait until the time was right; she'd known he wasn't the type of guy who would have sex straight away. Emily wasn't shy about sex, but she also wasn't the type to jump into it straight away. She'd had a couple of one night stands, but not many. When it came to sex, Emily was pretty confident.

Steve wasn't and she was fine with that. She just wanted communication instead of a total shutdown. Maybe Emily was being too unfair on Steve, she had friends who'd wanted to wait, but there was only so much physical intimacy they could get from holding hands and kisses.

She just wanted to be with him, that was all. She wanted the physical passions; he was a work of art after all. In equal measures, she wanted to talk about her emotions and laugh with him. Intimacy wasn't just sex or emotion, it was both.

They didn't talk for the rest of the journey home. When they arrived in the parking lot, Emily decided to take her leave.

"You don't have to walk me to my door; I'll be fine from here. Thanks for driving me; I'll see you at work."

"Don't be ridiculous."

Knowing Steve wouldn't budge, Emily let him. Even though she insisted that she was a grown woman with a gun in a safe apartment complex, Steve always walked her to the door when he brought her home. Steve knew Emily was capable, of course, but he thought it was good manners and he wanted her to be safe nonetheless. Besides, Emily liked the feel of his bicep when they walked arm in arm.

They walked in silence to the door.

"We can't end the night like this."

Steve nodded in agreement.

"Well last time we weren't speaking, well when you weren't speaking to me, it was because you liked me and couldn't cope with telling me. When you told me you liked me, I told you it back. Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen again but the truth remains the same. Look, I don't want you to think I'm mad at you because you won't have sex with me. I don't want to be that person, you know? I won't ever get angry at you. All I want is communication."

"I understand," Steve laced their fingers together, "I just...I just don't know how I feel about it yet. We owe each other communication, that's all. I'm not sure Emily, I'm really not. I don't want to make things difficult for you."

"You're not Steve; I don't want you to think that."

"It's only fair that you are with someone who wants the same things as you."

Emily's face fell.

"Don't you dare break up with me."

"I'm not, don't worry," he assured Emily, who looked to be on the verge of tears at the thought, "But my point stands, we both have needs and wants and deserve to be with those who want the same things from a relationship. When I am ready, I'll tell you. I can't promise you that I know how long it's going to be, there's no way it's definitive. I want you to know that right now. It may not be the answer you want, but it's the only honest and fair answer I can give."

"Then I'll wait," Emily promised.

"Emily, you don't have to lie. It's ok if you're upset."

"Sex isn't the most important thing here, being with you is. Yes, I want to have sex with you and I wish that it would have happened already, but I want you more than that. I don't want to ever hurt you and most of all, I want you to be comfortable. Everyone deserves to be comfortable like this. I'd not have wanted my first time to be when my heart wasn't truly in it. I don't cheapen sex but I don't put every value on it. I enjoy it, but my first time was special to me and I am pleased to have good memories of it. I will wait as long as you want."

Steve smiled.

"Then we're good. Right now, we're good and I'm still with the best girl there is."

"Oh you smoothie," Emily wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck, "We'll take it one day at a time and just see where it takes us. Right now, I can just satisfy myself with kisses."

"That I can do," Steve pecked her nose.

"Oh you'll have to give me more than that."

"Yes ma'am," he grinned, and with that, they began to passionately kiss.

LIGHT ME UP-

_Days later_

_Don't want to close my eyes_

_I don't want to fall asleep_

_'Cause I'd miss you baby_

_And I don't want to miss a thing_

_'Cause even when I dream of you_

_The sweetest dream will never do_

_I'd still miss you baby_

_And I don't want to miss a thing_

Steve sat reading as his stereo played softly in the background. He was working his way through books, TV, movies and music, starting with the major ones that everyone knew. Book wise, most suggested he look at high school reading lists before going onto stuff that looked appealing. Right now, he was reading 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller.

He thought about what Emily had said to him, in fact, he couldn't stop thinking about it or her.

Steve was still waiting, that's what he told himself. Still, he couldn't stop thinking about the idea. Emily was gorgeous and he was physically attracted to her, he couldn't deny that. Her legs went on for miles, her hips were slender and her butt was perky. When Steve looked at her, he couldn't pull his eyes away. There was no problem with attraction, that was covered.

When Steve had thought about sex before, it scared him. No one had wanted him back then and he couldn't imagine it now. Years of Catholic Mass and tradition had taught him to wait. He watched his men bring back prostitutes in France and didn't care, as he did not believe in judging others for their life choices. What Steve wanted was to be intimate with someone he truly cared about, someone he imagined spending his life with. He was being picky about it, but it was his decision and he thought it fair.

That was when it hit him.

He _did_ want to.

It wasn't a result of Emily saying she wanted sex, not at all. Steve had been scared to be intimate and he wasn't suddenly free of that, but it was about physical and emotional relations. He'd taught himself to stay back and that led into his shyness about intimacy. Sex still carried the weight it did in the 40s, even if birth control and other things decreased some of the risks. He was scared for his first time because it was his first time, not because it was sex.

Steve knew that it was Emily he wanted to be with. That was important to him- he may be ready for sex, but only if it was someone he truly wanted to be with. He thought he'd marry Peggy after the war and she would be his first, but that wasn't destined to be.

Emily, though, he had Emily. He adored her beyond measure and if they were to be together, then he felt ok with it being her. Beautiful, sweet Emily.

Then it occurred to him _why _he was ready to be with Emily. This had to be it.

He couldn't hide it though. Slamming his book shut, he shut off the stereo and ran to get his things. Tying his shoes and pulling on his jacket, he rushed out of his apartment and downstairs. He expected the neighbours would wonder why he was being so darn loud. Right now, however, he didn't care.

Hopping on his motorcycle, he sped through the city lights to get to Emily. When he arrived at her door, he took a deep breath and knocked.

On the other side, Emily was doing a Sudoku puzzle to keep her mind in shape. When she heard the knock, she rose from her comfy position lying on the couch and went bolt upright. She frowned- she wasn't expecting anybody at this time. Maybe it was her neighbour or one of her friends popping over for late night visit.

She didn't expect to see Steve on the other end of the peephole when she looked through it. Shrugging to herself, she opened it.

"Hi," she greeted with a smile, "Come on in."

Steve shuffled in, Emily locking the door behind him. Once he was in, she leaned up to give him a kiss. Though their conversation had been awkward before, they both got over it- it was just a slightly painful learning curve and they were still happy as can be.

"Hello beautiful, I hope I'm not intruding."

"I was just doing some mental exercises. What can I do for you darling?"

Steve looked her straight in the eye.

"I want to be with you."

Emily immediately understood.

"Steve, I don't want you doing this simply because of what I said last week. I can wait so much longer than this, I'm happy to do it when you're happy to do it. Don't rush it handsome, it's ok."

"No, I want to do this. I'm sure."

"Are you?"

"I want to do it because I love you."

Emily's mouth dropped open. Steve felt a huge weight off of his shoulders once he'd said it. He loved her, it was true. He loved her with all his heart and wanted to be with her. This was the woman who he wanted to be intimate with, the one stood in front of him. She had his heart and he was fine with that, because he loved her. He was ready to be physically intimate with her and had absolutely zero doubt about it.

"I love you," he managed to find his voice again; "I really, really love you. I'm not doing this because of any pressure. I'm doing it because I feel comfortable with you. You said everyone's first time should be special and I know that it will be, because it's with you. So yeah, I love you."

A huge smile broke out on Emily's face, dispelling Steve's fears about being too forward.

"I love you too," she told him, looking on the verge of joyous tears, "I love you."

Both beamed before Steve swept Emily up into his arms, passionately kissing her. It was more intimate than their usual kisses, both putting their lust and love into it. They both finally said it and it felt great. Steve's hands rubbed Emily's back, whilst her fingers ran through his hair.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes," he told her back, kissing her again, "Do you have protection?"

"Condoms in my side drawer, yeah, and I've both my birth control. We're prepared. Let's do this."

"Let's do this."

In one fell swoop, he picked Emily up. She let out a surprised noise but continued kissing him as he carried her into the bedroom, her legs hooked around his waist. Steve kicked the door close behind him as they started.

**Hi all, hope you enjoyed this!**

**Next Time: It's a three year time jump to the future, where Steve and Emily are still a happy couple, living together and as serious as they can get. One mission, however, opens a dangerous box that will threaten everything around them.**

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! Thanks again and I'll see you next time xxx**


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMED**

**Hey all, thanks for the reviews so far and I hope you continue. I'm glad that you're enjoying it xxx**

**Chapter 19**

_Three years later, Chelsea, NYC 2015_

Steve still couldn't believe he was in the 21st century, three years after he was out of the ice. It all seemed like just yesterday when he ran barefoot into the middle of Times Square.

It had been hard sometimes, of course it had. He'd had his ups and downs, the nightmares still happened and sometimes he forgot where he was. Luckily, it was a lot rarer now, but it still happened. He'd also stayed at SHIELD, where he felt accommodated by them. It was where he could help the world whenever he wasn't in superhero mode.

The Avengers too, they were all close. When Thor wasn't off world, they hung out a lot. They hung out in smaller groups as well, like when they had guy nights or SHIELD employee only time. It was nice to have a solid group like he had with the Howling Commandos. There were the vets too, led by Sam. No one would ever replace Bucky, but Sam was his best friend and brother now. He was glad to have someone with shared life experience, as Sam knew what losing someone was like.

Steve had lost a lot, but had also gained a lot with a new century.

The best thing was sleeping beside him, however.

Steve couldn't understand how he'd landed a woman like her. Part of him still thought of himself as the scrawny Brooklyn loser who couldn't get a date. A woman like Emily always seemed out of his league, but yet she was here beside him. He loved her more than anything and she was just the best person in his life. His heart still skipped a beat whenever he looked at her and he felt weak at the knees all the time.

Their sex life wasn't too bad either.

Steve just adored Emily. He knew she was the woman he was meant to be with, not Peggy. He'd always hold a torch for her, but Emily was his true love. Emily was just a ball of sunshine, beautiful, spirited and full of joy. He never stopped being wowed at her intelligence, her strength and her bravery. Steve always felt scared when Emily was on a dangerous mission, but knew she was capable enough. Holding her in his arms after a mission was always a comfort.

His bliss was ruined by the alarm ringing loudly.

Next to him, Emily rolled over and hit the button. She groaned and went to move out of bed, but Steve had other ideas, pulling her into his arms.

"I have a mission," she protested lightly, though not stopping him.

"You can wait ten minutes," Steve told her.

She squinted at the clock, "Ugh fine, because I love you."

Steve smirked as Emily settled against his chest, her hair tickling his skin. God he loved her. They lay in silence for longer than Steve had hoped for, his fingers tapping against her spine. Eventually, the inevitable happened and Emily knew she had to get up.

"You're making this too hard," she moaned as she shuffled out of his embrace and onto the bedroom floor.

"What if you were a little late?"

"Steve Rogers telling someone not to be punctual, shocking," she let out a fake gasp, "I am disgusted that Captain America would do something like that. Unfortunately this is an important mission in which I am actually classed as a senior agent, so I need to be there bright and early. Don't give me those sad eyes Rogers, I'm going to be back in the evening. I'm sure I'll have some energy then."

"Yeah, I know, flawless," Emily looked at her reflection, having seen Steve check her out in the mirror, "I'm going to have a shower then make some breakfast. Would you like me to bring you some?"

"Yes please."

Emily air kissed before heading into the shower. As soon as Emily was out of the room and the shower went on, Steve leaned over to open his top drawer. Taking out a box, he flipped open to the engagement ring sat in the folds.

He knew he wanted to marry Emily, he'd known it from the moment he realised he was in love with her. In Steve's day, you married fairly quickly, but things were different. After three years together, Steve knew it was time to pop the question. He still had his mother's engagement ring, something she'd gifted to him as she was dying (she was buried with her wedding ring). It wasn't fancy, not at all- the shine had gone out of the gold and the diamond was a tiny solitaire. Still, Emily wasn't the materialistic type so he hoped that she liked it.

Steve also wanted to work out the proposal before he did ask. It was important that it was private, just the two of them. He didn't want to propose in front of people and he was sure that Emily wouldn't want to be asked in front of a crowd. It was to be intimate and romantic, but not too mushy. To him, Emily deserved the world. The proposal was something that neither would ever forget and he wanted it to be for the right reasons.

He knew he'd been staring at it too long when he heard Emily leave the kitchen. He flipped it closed and stuffed it back in his drawer just before Emily entered with a tray. Shifting up in his seat, he smiled as Emily sat on the bed.

"You gonna go for a run this morning now you're up?" she asked, biting into some toast.

"Yeah, I think I might just."

"Well, be careful to conserve that energy."

"I hope you'll be the same. Can't have my girl getting too tired as she becomes a senior agent."

"I'm not becoming a senior agent, I'm just senior in this regard. That's all. You're the senior."

Steve chuckled as Emily laid her head against his shoulder.

"I have to go, I want to be early," Emily eventually stated. She tightened her ponytail and grabbed her bag.

"Good luck doll, I love you."

"I love you too," Emily leaned down to peck Steve on the lips, "See you tonight."

He smiled as Emily headed out of the door. Steve knew he was lucky and he could not wait to go down on one knee to ask for her hand. Soon enough, he told himself, soon enough he'll ask. Just as soon as he knew how he'd propose- oh, and asking for Tom Collins' blessing. Steve was super traditional in that respect and knew how much of a daddy's girl Emily was.

Sighing, he went to get dressed for a run.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE-

He'd been at SHIELD for a few hours when his phone bleeped.

_STRIKE mission, change into kit and meet in the hangar for immediate exit_

Clint was in China at the moment, so he'd be absent. At least Natasha would be there, he could tolerate it when she and Clint were there along with Rumlow and the rest of the idiots. Steve still couldn't stand Rumlow, mainly because he was arrogant and made comments about Emily.

At least Emily was open about her disdain for Rumlow and wasn't afraid to shut him down. Her last witty retort about Rumlow's stupid grin had Steve trying his hardest not to laugh in front of several of SHIELD's top brass. Even Fury hid a smile.

Steve quickly changed into his suit and shield before heading onto the plane. He smiled at Natasha, who sat down beside him. As soon as Steve was there, the pilots immediately set off. Whatever was happening, it was extremely important.

The bell rang to indicate that they could take off their seatbelts. As soon as they did, they gathered around the screen.

"Ok, a joint law enforcement ship called the _North Dawn _has been hijacked off the coast of Nova Scotia. It's one that we use alternately with the FBI, CIA and ICE amongst others. As you can probably guess, it's ours at the moment. Its payload is a set of new technology that is being sent to The Bunker. The tech's worth is several million and includes anti-virus software, new interfaces and virtual scanners. If the hijackers get their hands on it, we're talking a shit load of problems. The tech hasn't been loaded by SHIELD yet, but it could hold previous information that had not been wiped by the technology company. Our job is to take the hijackers out, get the SHIELD agents on board out safely and to ensure no tech has been tampered with."

"Who are the hijackers?" Natasha asked.

"A Quebec militant separatist group called Gratuit Q; they want to attack law enforcement agencies in order to get attention from the world. They're relatively low-key; several of their operations have been scuppered by Canadian intelligence and police. Many of them are related to players from the height of the FLQ days, so they pretty much despise Ottawa and the rest of Canadian politics. Somehow, they've found out the course of _North Dawn _and have managed to get on board. They shouldn't be too much of a problem- petty thugs with minor criminal records across the board. It shouldn't be an issue. This guy, however, is a completely different ballgame."

He tapped the screen and on it appeared a picture of a hard looking man with neck and face tattoos.

"This stunner here is Emile Sartre. He is wanted on dozens of counts of terror planning, attempted murder, financial crime and physical violence. This guy is like a wrestler, he is massive and incredibly strong. He's also fast and light on his feet, which means he's hard to fight. He's been in hospital many times as a result of gunshot wounds and he wears those marks like badges of honour. In short, this guy could give all of us a run for his money. I've been following him for the past ten years and if he wasn't a bad guy, I'd be impressed."

"Who's on the ship?"

"Senior students from the tech class from the communications part of the academy, mainly. There are about 25 of them. There are also three field agents on board as part of the supervision."

He tapped the screen again. As soon as it opened up, Steve felt his stomach drop.

Emily was one of them, her picture between Agent Sitwell and Agent Irving.

Natasha looked over at Steve, who had gone silent in shock.

"Cap, over to you for tactics."

"Oh right, hem hem," he snapped to attention, clearing his throat and going over to the front, "Alright, Agent Romanoff will kill the engines. Agent Rumlow and the rest of Strike will use heat signatures to work out where the hostages are. If you must use lethal force, then use it, however, it's best that they are alive or intel. I'll find Sartre and knock him down. Any questions?"

They all shook their heads.

"Great, we're nearly there. Get your parachutes ready."

Steve went over to get his parachute, Natasha following him over.

"Emily's going to be ok, you know."

"This is her first assignment as part of a senior team and she's a hostage. This'll kill her confidence; she's been so excited for this mission- she was super prepped this morning. Also, this guy is dangerous and I bet he's willing to kill. What if he decides to single her out? Some of these bad guys have a thing about women; he wouldn't be scared to single her out for whatever. Look, I'm trying to keep Sartre alive because of his intel, but I'm afraid that I will kill him if he's touched Emily."

"You're acting as though she's being tortured. Sitwell and Irving are there, guys like this single out the big brass- not that it's any better, but it's less likely Emily is involved. Just keep your cool, ok? You don't want to risk her life."

"Yeah, you're right. I just worry, ok? I'm always worried she'll not come back from a mission but I always know that SHIELD deaths are very rare. This one, however, is a hell of a lot riskier."

"Approaching landing point," Rumlow called out.

"That's us," Natasha followed Steve to the edge of the jet, "There's this new Eastern European restaurant near me that's opened up. Clint and I are planning to go, are you and Emily up for it?"

"If we all get out of this alive, then I will pay for it."

"I'll be hoping then," Natasha grinned, "Ok, let's go."

"Ladies first."

The redheaded spy jumped straight off, the men following after her. The Atlantic air was freezing, but Steve sped through it before landing perfectly on the deck of the ship.

"Engine's that way," Natasha nodded towards the other end of the ship, "After I've killed it, I'll take out the stragglers."

"Good plan, let me know if you see Sartre."

The redhead jumped over a railing, Steve watching as the STRIKE team zipped down the edge of the boat.

"I have heat signatures here."

"How many?"

"Over thirty, I can count all the hostages I believe. There are several guards on each corner of the room, they have machine guns. Permission to proceed?"

"Blow it to hell."

"Aye aye, Captain."

Steve rushed to the other side of the ship where the captain's cabin was. He avoided several shots from across the deck, firing back without even looking. Ducking behind some cargo, he used his binoculars to look up at the glass.

Sartre stood there, he could see him. He even larger in real life, taller than Steve and twice as wide. Steve, however, was confident of his own abilities.

"Cap, we have a problem."

Steve had heard the gunfire and detonation devices, but had assumed it was ok.

"What?"

"We've got everybody apart from Collins."

_Oh crap_

"Sitwell said Sartre took her. They were all brought into the same room and tied up, but he immediately came in and took her away. We think she's in the cabin."

"Ok, I'm heading there anyway. Agent Romanoff, please provide back up if possible."

"Roger that, I'll be there after I finish off the stragglers."

Up in that cabin, Sartre was looking out at the vast sea with his binoculars. Emily was behind him, her hands bound to a post. Next to her was a guy with one hell of a machine gun.

"I think we might be close to having your beloved Captain pay a visit."

Emily didn't know how, but Sartre knew exactly who she was- and a lot about SHIELD too. There must have been an info leak, most probably from the tech. She had never expected to be bait for her boyfriend, considering no one in the field knew of their relationship for that exact reason. Unfortunately, she found it was inevitable and here she was.

"Steve vous battra au sol si je ne le fais pas d'abord," she responded bitterly.

"Ah, are you fluent in this fair language?"

"Maybe you should have read my file better," Emily snapped.

"Well, it's always nice to hear someone speak the true language of my people," Sartre gripped hold of her hair, "Maybe that little boyfriend of yours can hear it as his _derniers mots_."

"You may be a steroid induced rage junkie or whatever, but Cap is a legend for a reason. I for one cannot wait to see you in a maximum security prison or dead. Maybe I'll send you a postcard in French, will that remind you of your people. I hear Quebec is a _endroit plutôt fascinant_, I'd love to visit one day. Have you got any places you'd recommend that I visit with my boyfriend?"

"You're very brave for someone who could die tonight."

"Touché."

They were locked in a staring contest before something shot through the window, breaking the glass.

Smoke filled the room, the three entrants all coughing hard against it. Steve felt bad for using it on Emily, but he had to do it to incapacitate the others- it wouldn't affect her too much. Through the fading smoke, bullets flew from inside the cabinet. Steve ducked down, raising his shield in order to use it as protection. Heading back upwards, he saw the guy with the machine gun in the middle. Not spotting anyone else, he fired shots and the guy immediately went down.

He was ready to jump into the cabin when a bullet just missed his head. Cursing to himself, he climbed down and began fighting off the stragglers.

"Romanoff, I need assistance on the bridge."

"Already here," he heard her say from behind him.

Natasha did all her amazing semi-gymnastics moves as Steve focused more on his fists, determined to peel through every one of those hijackers. Every so often, his eyes looked up to the cabin, but he couldn't see Emily.

"I got this," Natasha called out, "Find Emily."

Steve nodded, rushing straight to the cabin. He barged through the door, but paused when he saw that it was empty. Desperately rushing around the room, he nearly tripped over the body of the machine gun guy.

It was then that he saw a little bit of blood near the steering wheel.

He was only distracted by the sound of yelling coming from the side of the ship- it was Emily. Tightening his shield against his arm, he rushed straight back out and ran as fast as he could to where he thought it would be.

Up ahead, Sartre was striding up to where the other staff were evacuated, gripping Emily's arms. Steve's blood boiled.

"Sartre!" he roared.

"Ah, Captain, nice of you to join us," Sartre cocked his gun, pressing the muzzle right against Emily's soft temple, "I wouldn't try anything if I was you, you might hit your girl. I'm a fast man, Captain America, I can riddle your girl's body with bullets before you can blink."

"I think he's got a lot of places he could aim," Emily snarked.

Sartre kicked her for that comment.

"Whatever problem you have is with me, not her. Let her go and you can do what you want with me."

"Cliché, isn't it? No, I want to do this to your sarcastic little bitch of a girl. Come a little closer, Captain, I dare you. Shall I put a bullet straight in her head, or shall I put it somewhere that it won't kill her straight away? She can suffer a bit."

Steve really didn't know what to do. He looked over at Emily, who nodded at him, allowing him to raise his gun. In response, Sartre pushed his weapon further into Emily's head.

The Captain steadied the gun, looking for a clearing. Sartre angled his body so that any bullet that travelled through him would almost certainly go through his human shield.

He (Sartre) was so busy focusing on Steve that he thought nothing of Emily. The brunette slowly moved her hand back, moving her eyes to the side to see what she could grab. Sartre had a knife in his belt, quite a sharp one by the look of things.

That would do.

It was preferable that he be kept alive, Emily guessed, so that they could find out how he'd find stuff about SHIELD. Well, that might have to go out of the window.

In one fluid motion, Emily grabbed hold of the knife. It took Sartre by total surprise and allowed the brunette to take control. When he let go of her arms, she spun around and pressed the tip of the blade underneath the Canadian's throat, pulling it upwards until it reached his chin. Only then did she pull it out.

Sartre gasped and gargled as he clutched his cut throat before falling to the floor, having bled out before he hit the deck.

Steve ignored it and not caring about being professional, rushing over to check on Emily. She headed straight to him, letting him wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. After he'd held her for a few moments, he put a palm against her cheek and checked her out.

"Are you ok?" he asked, "Did he hurt you?"

"I was roughly handled but nothing else."

"Thank God," he kissed the crown of her head.

"I know we would have wanted him alive, but I had to get that bastard."

"I understand. Come on, let's get to the others."

He put a firm arm around Emily, steering her away from Satre's body and over to where the rest of them stood.

"That was quick thinking Agent Collins, I will mention it in my report to Fury," Sitwell complimented.

"Thank you," Emily managed out.

"Cleanup crew is a few minutes out, we'll wait here until they're done," Rumlow told them, "They'll sort the tech out."

The Atlantic winds battered them as they waited. Steve's arm was firmly wrapped around Emily and he didn't intend on leaving her side that evening.

LIGHT ME UP-

"Collins was supposed to be killed or seriously injured!"

Rumlow and Sitwell looked at one another as Secretary Alexander Pierce slammed his hands on the table, looking between the two men.

"She graduated top of her SHIELD class by a huge margin, it's not our fault she beat Sartre," Sitwell shrugged, "Look Sir, I didn't expect her to do it- I would have expected Romanoff or Morse, but not Collins. Anyway, at least she tied up a loose end by killing Sartre. He was hardest to buy and we were worried that he would blab. It prevents it from going back to us."

"It wasn't an essential part of the plan anyway," Rumlow added, "It would have helped us, but it's not like she's much bother alive. One junior agent isn't that powerful."

"You're right," Pierce nodded, "You're right. This does help us- dead men tell no tales."

"So we proceed with the plan?" Sitwell asked.

"Yes, we will," Pierce stood up, "I have ensured that Director Fury will be in Europe for weeks and as I am now in charge, we will be able to execute it without interference. It may take a while, but by the end, Rogers will be seen as a traitor and our biggest path to victory will be free from baggage. No longer will SHIELD be a barrier to power, but the three of us will become the most powerful men in the world. Maybe it'll be nice for Agent Collins to see her beloved boyfriend taken out of the picture."

"It made me sick, seeing them all lovey dovey on that ship," Rumlow shuddered.

"Then it makes it all the more satisfying," Pierce smirked, pacing the room, "To see our hero fall. We will put the fear of God in them, make them second guess themselves and look over their shoulders. When we are able to strike, we will ensure that not one person at SHIELD doubts that Captain Rogers is a traitor to us all. Captain America has stopped many people, but he will not stop us. Finally, SHIELD will be reborn in our image and we will control not only the President, but every other world leader. It starts in this room with three men, but it will end with the world."

Pierce, Rumlow and Sitwell each raised their glass, ready to take down Steve Rogers and Captain America for good.

Unfortunately for them, they would face stronger opposition than they expected.

**Hello all, I hope you enjoyed the time jump.**

**Next Time: The three set the plan in motion by arranging fake interviews regarding the leak, but this leads to suspicion from Steve and Emily. Emily hangs out with her best friend.**

**Thanks again and I hope that you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review and I'll hopefully see you next time xxx**


	20. Chapter 20

**DISCLAIMED**

**Hi all; thanks for the love so far. Don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 20**

The failed mission was all anyone was talking about.

With Nick Fury in Europe, SHIELD was in different hands. It was clearly a big deal, as everyone involved was being interviewed. It would have been the same with Fury, of course, but it did feel different. No one felt safe at the idea of classified details being leaked, especially about the personal lives of agents. It was paramount that they found out how on earth Sartre had gotten hold of those documents.

Whoever was found out to be a mole was going to spend the rest of their natural lives in jail- that was the SHIELD line anyway.

Of course, certain powers had already picked their scapegoat. Still, they had to maintain a facade of normalcy until they'd executed the plan.

"_Agent Collins, report to Meeting Room 2B, that's Agent Collins to Meeting Room 2B_."

Emily sighed- these messages had been filtering through the comms all day and now it was her turn to be interviewed. She grabbed her things and headed to where she was supposed to be. All she could do was tell them what she knew, which was nothing. How they'd got the files, she had no clue. She hoped that she could be of help though, she wanted this mole found. They'd put her, two other senior agents and some scared trainees in danger. They could have quite easily hurt the man she loved, or her dear friend Natasha.

Arriving at 2B, she knocked on the door.

"Enter."

She knew Alexander Pierce's name, but had never met the man who had turned down a Nobel Peace Prize. Emily wasn't sure that she could be that selfless. Still, he was one of the most important men in America and at SHIELD, he was Fury's boss. Emily imagined that Fury didn't really trust anyone, so he must really have faith in Secretary Pierce if he was to hand over the reins whilst he and Commander Hill were away. Fury didn't like the government, as far as Emily understood anyway.

It was actually kind of intimidating, meeting him. She knew that her dad liked him anyway.

"Ah Agent Collins, welcome," Pierce stood up and went forward with a hand outstretched, with Emily accepting, "Please take a seat. Heather is here taking notes and as a third party to ensure that everything is properly witnessed."

"Thank you," Emily sat down on the lush leather chair.

"Well I have heard a lot about you, Agent. You're a Yale woman, yes?"

"Bachelors in Neuroscience, magna cum laude."

"Ah, I was a Harvard man myself, BA in Government and then an MPP at the Woodrow Wilson School in Princeton. I never quite grasped science myself. Were you not interested in being a SHIELD scientist?"

"I've wanted to be a federal agent since I was ten, Mr. Secretary. Having a backup option was important."

"Yes, I agree. Mine was to be a lawyer. Now, let us begin. As you know, confidential SHIELD documents were leaked to a terrorist organisation. We do not know the exact contents yet, but we do know they contained operations, personnel and internal memos. It is therefore vital that we track not only the mole, but who it was sent to in order to sweep it all up. Sartre wouldn't have talked anyway, so it was good that you managed to get him off of the way. I was told that you did an excellent job in dispatching him; we wouldn't have liked to lose you. Now let's start from the very beginning, Agent."

Emily nodded.

"Can you tell me about how you were given the mission?"

"Agent Sitwell asked to speak to me about a week ago. He and Agent Irving were overseeing a job an asked me to be the third agent."

"How did that make you feel?"

"I was very surprised to be given senior status on a job; I thought that would be a long time coming. Still, I was very honoured to have been given the opportunity."

"What were you told about the assignment?"

"I was told that we would be overseeing a training exercise by senior students at the Communications Academy. It was said that it was a routine operation and that they sent operations agents to oversee it, as it was on a ship containing important equipment. Agent Sitwell just said it should be straightforward, just watching the trainees to make sure they were ok and didn't do anything wrong."

"Did you share the details with anyone else?"

"I just said I had a role as a senior agent on a mission and that I was overseeing training. I was not told the nature of the ship, including its name or status as a joint law enforcement vessel. Even had I known, I would have made sure not to say anything I was unsure of the clearance level prescribed to it."

"Not even Captain Rogers?"

"It's like I said, I didn't know who I could tell. He doesn't tell me confidential information and I don't tell him confidential information. Steve would have learned everything when he was on the way to the _North Dawn_."

"Tell me what happened when the hijackers attacked."

"We were outnumbered and outgunned, it was a miracle there weren't any deaths, all of us nearly sustained hits. We were taken into a spare room. As soon as we arrived, we were told that I was wanted by Sartre and I was separated. I struggled, of course. I was later told that the remaining SHIELD members on board were tied and kept in that room, which I had assumed anyway. They brought me up to the captain's cabin where Sartre was, where I was tied to a post. It was then when Sartre started talking about the things he knew. He didn't go into details about what he knew, but he discussed reading my files. He knew of my relationship with Steve, but he clearly didn't read it properly, he didn't know I speak fluent French. There was something off about it though that made me think he'd been briefed beforehand."

"How so?" Pierce asked as Heather typed quickly.

"It's like he really knew us, about our relationship. Our relationship is mentioned in our files, i know that, but he was just so knowledgeable about it. He constantly talked about us being totally in love and that Steve would be ready to get me when he knew something had happened. I felt like someone had told him about this and that it had been an accidental find."

"Did he indicate someone had told him?"

"No, but I assume that he would have been paid not to talk about the mole if there was one."

"That's very interesting," Pierce nodded, "What happened when STRIKE attacked?"

"Well we heard the gunshots and firing, so we knew that they were here. Sartre made a comment about my 'beloved boyfriend' coming to the rescue. Steve threw in some kind of smoke grenade and shot one of the machine gun guards. I saw him trying to get into the cabin, but he got distracted by some stragglers so Sartre pulled me away. We were heading down the deck when Steve caught up. Sartre kept threatening to shoot me, telling Steve he wouldn't be able to get him without hitting me. That's when I saw the knife. I saw no other way out of it, so I slit Sartre's throat and got out. We then waited for clean up to arrive and that was that."

"So you think it was an inside job?"

"It could have been," Emily shrugged, "I mean, they surely couldn't have got as much information as you say without an insider. SHIELD has the best tech protection, so it was either the world's best hacker or someone inside. I don't know, but I don't think they got the info by accidentally climbing onto our ship miles away from Quebec."

"Was there any suspicious behaviour from anyone else on the ship?"

"No, exemplary behaviour from the trainees and my fellow agents. I cannot comment after the hijacking as I was separated from them, and I saw nothing of interest on the ride back from them or the STRIKE team."

"Have you any reason to suspect anyone on the ship?"

"No sir."

Pierce nodded.

"Well that's all I need to know. The information about Sartre's knowledge was very helpful; we will be using that to conduct further enquiries."

"It's worrying though, isn't it?" Emily asked, "That he knew so much. It means it could be a huge leak and that we're in danger."

"SHIELD does not scrimp on details Agent; we will find whoever is responsible and ensure that everyone is safe."

"Do I come to you if I think of anything else?"

"Of course," Pierce stood, Emily doing the same, "Thank you again Agent, you've been a valuable asset."

"Thank you sir," Emily smiled as she headed out of the door.

LIGHT ME UP-

"_Captain Rogers, report to Meeting Room 2B, that's Captain Rogers to Meeting Room 2B."_

Pierce had the biggest fake smile on his face when Steve entered the room.

"Captain Rogers, I cannot believe that it has been this long before we have met. It is a pleasure to meet you, truly, for you are the hero that saved New York and the world. My father met you once, said you were every inch the hero that you were made out to be. Please take a seat, Heather here is a third party taking notes."

"Thank you," Steve was never one to take praise.

"So you're aware of the leak that has occurred and I am conducting interviews to ensure that we have as much detail as we can going forward. I believe you were called in to be a rescue mission and were briefed on the way there. Why don't you tell me about that?"

"Yes, it was myself and the STRIKE team sans Agent Barton, who was on a foreign mission. We were told that the _North Dawn _was a joint law enforcement vessel currently being used by SHIELD for a training exercise. It was hijacked by a Quebecois independence organisation led by Sartre. As well as the agents on board, there was new tech equipment of extreme value. We were told the Communications Academy had its seniors on board, as well as Agents Irving, Sitwell and Collins."

"Did you have a strong reaction to learning that Agent Collins was on board?"

"Of course."

"Did you feel that you could successfully complete the mission knowing she was in danger?"

"I felt better knowing that we could use lethal force, because I was ready to kill anyone who had hurt her. Agent Romanoff was a great assurance and I also know that Emily is a highly capable agent in her own right. I was proven correct by her actions on the deck."

"So you went to find Sartre and by extent, Agent Collins, when you got aboard?"

"Yes Sir. I used a smoke grenade in an attempt to incapacitate those in the cabin, allowing me to kill one of the guards. I was unfortunately attacked before I could reach them in the cabin, but Agent Romanoff and I managed to peel the stragglers off. I heard Emily on the deck and when I arrived, Sartre had a gun to her head and was threatening to kill her. I tried to plead with him to allow her to be freed, but he was determined. Emily nodded at me to attempt to get him, but she managed to knife him before I had to make that risk. It was then determined that she, and the others, were unharmed by the hijackers."

"Do you know what technology was on board?"

"I know that it was important, but not the specifics of it, no."

"Were your actions towards getting Sartre motivated by knowing that Agent Collins was with him?"

"I didn't know she was there at first, but I have to admit that getting to her was important to me."

"Are you often on assignment together?"

"It happens from time to time, but it's more often not. This was of course only due to the hijackers; it was not planned for us to be together on this."

"Do you ever feel working close with Agent Collins risks assignments?"

"I know that Fury would not let us work together if he thought something would go amiss. He was reluctant before we started dating due to an Alaskan mission in which I go angry because we were put in unnecessary agent. He's never had any doubt with Emily; she's always been a consummate professional. We don't like to get personal at work."

"It is natural for you to protect those closest to you."

"Emily means the world to me, sir, but she doesn't need my help."

"Yes, I am told she is an excellent agent. Do you feel the Sartre knew of your relationship because of the file?"

"I'd guess so. He knew we were dating and he was almost gleeful about the thought of shooting Emily in front of me."

"Do you have any reason to think he would have been told?"

"Not from our encounter, but I suppose it could have happened. We still don't know how he found all the stuff out, so I guess it's pretty possible, I don't know."

Pierce nodded solemnly.

"I guess I have nothing else to add. Please see me if you can think of anything else, otherwise I will be moving on to the next interviewee. Thank you for your input Captain Rogers, it was extremely helpful- I am sure that we will use it when conducting our next round of inquiries."

He held out a hand again, which Steve shook.

"Thank you sir."

Steve left. He couldn't shake the feeling that _something _wasn't quite right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. If there was a security breech like this, he would have thought Fury would have jetted straight back over the Atlantic, as this would have taken precedence. Secretary Pierce was Secretary of SHIELD, but he wasn't part of its general internal structure.

He found Emily where he expected her to be, having a coffee break.

"Hi darling."

"Oh hey," she turned around and smiled, letting him kiss her on the head, "How was the interview?"

"It was..."

"...Suspicious," Emily completed.

"You think so too?"

She looked around to see if anyone else was here before continuing.

"There just wasn't something quite right, Secretary Pierce was so blasé," Emily pondered aloud, "I told him about how I felt that Sartre hadn't just read the files, but that he knew more about it, like someone had informed him beforehand. Pierce just didn't seem to care or was surprised, I felt like he knew more than he was letting on. It wasn't even that thorough an interview, it just covered basics. I don't know, it all seems pretty weird to me. Why him of all people? If this was so big, then Fury would be here surely?"

"I felt the same thing about Fury. Pierce seemed really focused on me being there when you were, like I was ready to risk everything to protect you. It wasn't about the mission so much, it was about who was there. He asked me the basics and then he was finished. I didn't like it, not one bit."

"Neither did I," Emily frowned, "I thought I was being paranoid but if it's not just me, then maybe something is a little sketchy."

"We'll ask Natasha too, but no one else."

"Agreed," the brunette nodded, "Whatever it is, it isn't right at all. I get this funny feeling about the whole thing. Still, if Fury trusts Pierce, then maybe he isn't so bad? I mean, Fury doesn't like anyone."

"I get a bad vibe from him," Steve disagreed, "I don't know what it is. Perhaps I'm being paranoid about him because of everything else. It's not him, it's whatever this is. We need to keep a close eye on this, just you, me and Natasha- the less people who know, the better. Let's keep our heads down and not cause any fuss. We can see how this plays out."

"Yeah, good idea. I have to write up the incident report for it anyway, so I better go do that."

"What a coincidence, so do I," Steve held out an arm, "Let's go."

LIGHT ME UP-

"Jesus Christ, I can walk better than that drunk."

Emily slouched on the couch. Claire O'Connell sat beside her, a little bit more poised. She met Claire early on when she arrived in New York, asking for directions when she entered her shop. From then on, the two were tight as anything, best friends. Claire knew about Emily's SHIELD life and who Steve really was, it made it a lot easier to explain why Emily had the Avengers at her birthday parties.

They were drinking wine and watching _America's Next Top Model. _Claire was opposite to Emily, more reserved and quiet, the sane woman against Emily's troublemaker.

"That guy looks like Daniel's last ex-girlfriend," Daniel being Claire's boyfriend.

"The one who he cheated on him then told him that he should get tested?"

"Bingo."

"You're prettier than her."

"She's not her."

"Still, you're prettier hun."

"Thanks," Claire smiled, "I can't believe it's been two years, it's nearly three for you and Steve."

"Yeah, time flies. Being single in the city is fun of course, I had my Carrie Bradshaw years, but it is nice being with someone you love."

"Well as long as I'm in your wedding party, it's cool."

"Do you know something I don't?" Emily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You guys have been together for three years," Claire reminded her, "Steve comes from a time where people got married real quick, especially during and after the war, I'm surprised he hasn't already asked. Oh come on, don't pretend you haven't thought about it. Three weeks ago you sent me a pretty bouquet."

"Yeah cause it was pretty and you're a florist."

"Still, I mean, I think after a few months Daniel will be starting to think about it. Steve is Mr. Commitment and he loves you. You must have thought of what you'd say if he asked."

"I'd say yes, however he did it."

"There you go," Claire agreed, "Maybe just sit and wait."

"I don't know if I can now you've planted it in my mind."

"Relax Em."

"No, I need to start practicing my bouquet toss," Emily laughed, "Stand back."

Claire went behind the sofa as Emily grabbed a stress ball. She threw it backwards as hard as she could, Claire jumping in the air to get it.

"Ah, I shall be next to wed," she laughed.

Emily started humming the wedding march, grabbing Claire's hand and starting to dance. The blonde started to, both giggling in between.

"You're already wine drunk," Emily told Claire, who was pretty much a lightweight.

"I rarely ever go past a couple of glasses, gimme a break."

"You better not get smashed at my wedding. My Uncle Stephen's cousin got married and the groom got really, really drunk. He head smashed the cake and it went everywhere, the bride was crying and the mother was baying for blood. He was so drunk that they weren't even going to attempt sex, apparently the bride wanted to annul it already because they hadn't consummated the wedding."

"Darn, I'd be super mad if Daniel did that."

"Steve can't get drunk, so that's fine. I'd rather die than have a dry wedding."

"Same," Claire agreed, "Showers of champagne everywhere."

"I'm gonna have showers of champagne like actual showers, so when you have a shower in the morning, it's champagne and not water," Emily illustrated, "Oh and baths too, bathe in champagne. Tony's rich, do you think he would do that for me?"

"He probably has them," Claire mused.

"_All _the alcohol."

They spun around, laughing. Emily was plainly unaware of the plot against the man she loved and her relationship. Right now, she was wine drunk with her best friend and drunken wedding plans that would likely be forgotten in the morning.

Little did she know, both things were closer than she thought.

**Hi all, hope you enjoyed it.**

**Next Time: Steve and Emily hang out with their friends.**

**Thanks again, hope to see you next time and don't forget to review xxx**


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMED**

**This chapter will be different to what I said it would be, but it sets up something that will happen later on. The Avengers meet up will be next chapter. As always, thanks for your support and don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 21**

Emily sat on the edge of the bathtub, looking at the packet on the side.

There was no way of describing it properly, Emily just felt _off. _There was something not right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't feel like she was ill and even if she went to the doctor's, there probably wasn't anything she could tell them. Mentally, she was fine, no sadness or imbalance. She just didn't know what it was.

There was one thing, however, that she thought it could be. Emily's periods tended to be basically nothing due to her birth control. There wasn't any morning sickness or swelling. Those periods had been none existent for the past two months, though, and Emily was usually like clockwork. These vague symptoms were like a fog.

Hence the pregnancy tests in her bathroom.

Steve and Emily's sex life was, to put it lightly, extremely active. They were religious about birth control though- Emily had the implant in her arm and Steve always wore a condom. Emily had always been careful and had never had a scare before. Still, she'd always had that niggling worry in the back of her mind. Steve had certain physical...improvements, which meant Emily wondered if there were any extra chances of pregnancy.

She was metaphorically shitting herself.

First of all, there was the fact that she and Steve worked in very dangerous jobs. Emily would have to hit desk work immediately and if they did have a baby, it would be difficult for both to be away. The pair had their fair share of near death experiences, which made their life not too ideal for children. They'd discussed it years ago and reached that conclusion. Emily adored children and said that she would love them in another life, but she knew that it wouldn't be fair to have them. Steve agreed, not that he imagined family life too much anyway. Neither wanted to give up saving the world.

Secondly, both Steve and Emily were traditional in one respect. Steve came from a time where having a baby out of wedlock was the ultimate sin. He may not be a hardcore Bible basher, but the Catholic and 40s boy in Steve meant that he felt that marriage would have to precede babies. Emily wasn't that religious, but she'd been raised to believe the same. She'd never, ever, judge anyone who didn't have a child in marriage, it was pretty normal these days and she didn't give a shit about how other people lived their lives. Both she and Steve would think it was best to marry.

It wasn't like she wasn't ready to marry. She loved Steve and wanted to marry him. She just didn't want it to be forced.

Thirdly, Emily couldn't imagine it. Her life would change a lot, but most importantly, she'd be in charge of a human being. She would never abandon any child she had, but the idea scared her somewhat. To the outside world, it seemed she'd be fine- she was an Ivy League educated woman with a stable job, excellent income and a loving, loyal partner. Still, Emily had no idea how to handle being in charge of a tiny baby, all hers and Steve to protect.

She'd always imagined being the fun auntie to her nephew and any future nephews/nieces.

There was an option many would find obvious, but Emily knew she couldn't go through with it.

Emily couldn't bear to open the test. Steve was on assignment, and she wasn't planning to tell him unless she was absolutely sure. She knew she had to test, but she was too terrified to do it alone. Shaking against the bathtub, she knew there was only one person she could call to calm her down.

Leaving the bathroom, she grabbed her phone and made a call.

"Hi kid."

"Uncle Phil, are you busy?"

"No- what's wrong?"

"Can...Can you come over please? Now."

"Of course darling, I'll be here in ten."

"Thank you."

"See you in a minute."

"See you."

Emily waited nervously until her uncle came, hands knotted together in front of her on her knees. It seemed like he was an age, as though the world had stopped turning. Eventually, she was startled out of her thoughts by a large knock on the door.

"Hi," she felt relief when she opened the door to her uncle.

"Hi sweetheart," he hugged her.

"Come on in," she led him onto the sofa. It was a minute before she was ready to speak.

"I...I am possibly going through something and I need you most of all to help me through it."

"Ok?"

"I think I'm pregnant," Emily blurted out.

"Oh. Oh," Coulson hadn't expected that, "So, erm, what makes you think you're pregnant?"

"I've not had any traditional symptoms, but I just feel so off, like a feeling I've never had before. I might just be stressed from work or something, I don't feel ill, but I feel that there is _something. _Maybe it would explain things."

"Does Steve know?"

"Not until I know the answer."

"So you've not taken a test?"

"I panicked and bought five at the store, but I've been too scared to open them. I'm just...really scared Uncle Phil, I don't know what to do. I'm not in control of this. A baby would really change things, wouldn't it? I'd essentially be assigned to desk duty for the rest of my life, both me and Steve on assignments would risk so much. A baby changes everything, Uncle Phil. Steve is such a great guy and he'd always look after me, but it's just something that we have never wanted. Our life isn't meant for a child. That baby would be Captain America's child, a risk for harm. I can look after myself, but I would have to give my entire soul to protecting out child. I am terrified."

"What about..?"

"I know what you're about to say and it's a no. If that result is positive and I am pregnant, I already know that I could not do it. It's my baby that could be in there and I could not get rid of it. I've always known I'd never want an abortion, ever."

"Well the best thing now is for you to take that test," Coulson put a hand on Emily's, "If you're not pregnant, then you can just chalk it down to work stress. It's probably that damn investigation they're doing on that ship. If you are, then it's up to you and Steve to talk about what you want to do next. Whatever happens, pregnant or not, I will support you. I will help in any way I can."

"Thank you," Emily smiled weakly.

"Go take the first one now and then we'll see how it goes."

Emily disappeared into the bathroom, not emerging for ten minutes. Eventually, she arrived out with one of the tests in her hand.

"Negative."

"Well that's great!"

"These things aren't 100% accurate though," she told him, "Hence why I bought five."

"Em, you're over thinking it. Pregnancy tests these days are really accurate and you said it yourself, you don't have the classic symptoms do you- that could mean something. You should listen to it."

"I'm taking the others, I have to. I'm going to drink a large jug of water then test the other four. Do you want some of my banana bread whilst we wait?"

Coulson nodded, knowing that he couldn't talk Emily out of this. She had a tendency to jump to conclusions and worry, she always had. He enjoyed her baking as she downed a large jug of water in one large sip, burping once she had done. After fifteen minutes of conversation, Emily needed to go again.

She was in there for much longer, nearly twenty minutes. Coulson started to worry, so he headed over and knocked on the bathroom door. Emily didn't answer, but the door was unlocked so he pushed it open slightly and walked in.

His niece was sitting on the toilet lid, discarded pregnancy tests and packets around her. She was holding the last one, staring at it.

"Em?"

"I'm not pregnant," she sounded surprised, "All negative."

Throwing the stick to the side, she rushed to hug her uncle.

"Oh sorry, I should wash my hands," Emily went to the sink before hugging him again, "I'm not pregnant!"

"See, you worry too much Em, like I said it was probably stress," Coulson gripped her shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah, that investigation is getting really tense, it's that. I don't even know why I thought I was pregnant; there are no signs of it. God, I do not know what I was thinking. I feel so much better now, so much better. I can breathe easier now. Holy crap, I was so terrified about it. I'm happy, so happy. I wasn't ready for any of this."

She let out a huge smile.

"Well you can prepare now for any future scares, if you have any."

"Yeah, I can start to plan. I just hope it doesn't happen again, you know?"

"Of course."

"Thank you for helping me through it, I would have gone mad if I didn't have you here."

"I'm always there for you kid."

"You're my number one person Uncle Phil," she hugged him tight, "You always will be. I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart. I am too young to be a great-uncle again."

"You are," she laughed sweetly, "Come on; let's eat some more banana bread. Man, Steve is gonna be annoyed there isn't any left for him. He'll eat me out of house and home one of these days."

"You're going to tell him, right?" Coulson asked as they headed into the living room.

"Yeah, yeah I am. He deserves to know, even if it turned out to be a negative."

"You don't have to worry about Steve eating all your food anyway; I'd have you as my personal chef if I could."

Emily smirked.

"Yeah, I know, I am the best chef in New York."

"Are you going to do anymore of your lemon drizzle soon? It's the best."

"Soon Uncle Phil," she slung an arm over his shoulder, "Soon."

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE-

Steve had finished his assignment for the day, grabbing some juice from the local health bar he liked. There was one more thing he wanted to do before he headed home though. This was something that Emily COULDN'T hear.

He was a traditional man. In his day, you asked your girlfriend's dad for permission, that's how it went. Permission wasn't a thing nowadays, not that Emily would like it anyway. Still, Steve was an old fashioned person. He was going to compromise by asking Tom Collins' blessing.

The problem was that he was sure that Tom didn't like him. He didn't treat him like his wife Linda. Tom wasn't nasty, but he was rather cold and had made it clear from the get go that he wasn't a huge fan. Emily was a daddy's girl and her father had always been very protective of her since she was young. She said he always hated when she brought boys home, though she admitted she wasn't surprised that it had lasted until adulthood. Whenever they met, Tom tried to crush his hand in a handshake, though of course he always failed against the super strong Steve.

He'd told Steve to call him 'Mr. Collins' when they first met, until Linda snapped at him and told him that first names were fine. Whilst he called Linda by her forename all the time, he still was in the habit of calling Tom 'sir.' Tom intimidated him more than Fury or Colonel Phillips ever did.

Emily wouldn't hear a word against her beloved father anyway. When Steve complained that Tom hated him, Emily would say he was the usual overprotective papa. Steve countered that Emily was a grown woman with a gun, she didn't need protecting. Emily would just roll her eyes and move the conversation along.

The phone call had to be made and if he didn't do it now, he never would. He'd still propose to Emily if Tom said no of course, she was the love of his life and nothing would come between them. He just wanted to get Tom on side; Emily loved him the most after her uncle.

Oh crap.

Praying that Linda wasn't home, he called Tom's cell. If Linda knew, then half of Pennsylvania would.

"Hello?"

"Hi Tom, it's Steve."

"Oh hello Steve," Tom sounded surprised to hear from his daughter's boyfriend. They'd never called each other directly before. That made him slightly worried.

"Is Emily ok?" he ventured nervously, not wanting to hear the answer.

"Oh she's fine; it's nothing to do with that. I just wanted to ask you something- are you alone?"

"Yes, Linda's out."

"Erm good, great. See, Emily and I have been dating for three years so we're definitely serious, more than serious. I love her more than anything and I want to make it official. So, I'd like to ask for your blessing so that I can ask Emily to marry me."

There was silence on the end of the phone for a moment.

"You want to marry my daughter?"

"Yes sir."

"Why should I bless this?"

"Because Emily is the woman I love and there is nothing I want more in life to be with her for the rest of my days. I will always be faithful and loving; I want what you and Linda have. I'll always look after her, but I don't think Emily needs my protecting too much; she's strong on her own. Being Emily's husband will always be the best thing that ever happened to me. She loves you so much sir, but with all due respect, I don't think you saying no would stop me or her. I ask you because I respect you and I know that Emily values your opinion. I'd hate for the engagement to get off to the wrong start."

"So you'll ask even if I don't give my blessing?"

"Yes, because Emily is the love of my life. I would do anything to be with her."

"Correct answer."

"Is that a yes?"

"That is a yes."

"Thank you, thank you so much," Steve felt so relieved, "I'm so glad you said yes. I wasn't sure if you would."

"Why?"

"I get the feeling you don't like me too much sir."

"We'll keep it that way," Tom chuckled, "Have you got a ring yet?"

"I'm giving her my mother's engagement ring."

"That's very nice, a good way of keeping your family alive. Family is the most important thing. How do you plan to propose?"

"I haven't decided yet. It might be a little while whilst I decide."

"Perhaps the right opportunity will come along when you don't expect it. Linda will be home soon, so I'll have to let you go. I'll hopefully be congratulating you soon."

"I hope so too sir."

"Bye Steve."

"Goodbye."

Boy was he glad _that _was over.

Heading home, he couldn't wait to see Emily. He was very surprised when he saw her looking ghostly pale, seated on the couch with her fingers knotted together.

"Em?"

"Oh, hi," she sounded like she was surprised by his presence.

"What's wrong?" he immediately went over and stood up, cupping her chin.

"Erm, well," she gulped, "I've been feeling funny recently and since I couldn't think of any other explanation, I erm, well, I took some pregnancy tests."

Steve froze.

"You're..?"

"No, I'm not. I took five, I'm sure. I was just really freaked out you know?" her voice broke; "Now I know it's probably just that damn investigation, but I was just so scared. There was no control, I have never felt more scared before in my life. A baby would change everything and I'd never thought about it because I've always been so religious with my birth control. We've talked about this; it was something that we don't want. I knew that if we had a child, that baby would be at risk with Captain America as its dad. I don't know why this has affected me so strongly but it has. You have no idea how relieved I felt. I'm ready for a lot of things, but not for a child. Hell, I'd rather take the Chitauri on. I love kids. I love my nephew. If we lived in a different world, I'd want to be a mom. It's just not the direction my life has taken."

"Doll," Steve stepped forward, taking her hands in his, "I would never, ever let you down. It wouldn't be ideal if you were pregnant, but I would care for you like I always have. You'd always have me on your side."

"I don't doubt that Steve, you'd be the best dad. I'm just really spooked. Like I said, I hated not feeling in control of it. It's forced us to plan what would happen in the future, but that's it. I was so scared that I had to call my uncle, no way was I able to take that test alone. He was the only one that could calm me down, apart from you. I wouldn't have even been calmed by Claire or Nat or Aaron."

Steve went forward, wrapping Emily in his arms.

"It's ok Em, just breathe. You're not pregnant, you can relax. We're always so careful about these things, we can continue to be. That investigation is getting in everyone's heads. When you're stressed, you can come to me. It's my job to make sure that you're ok. When I had those really bad nightmares when we first met, you were the one who encouraged me to start opening up. It's a stupid, badly run investigation and it's going nowhere. Promise me you won't let it get to you?"

Emily silently nodded.

"Good," he kissed the top of her head, "You're so strong Emily. I don't know what the hell is going on with SHIELD at the moment though. Fury being in Europe is bizarre, as well as Pierce taking over the investigation. It's not quite right. I'll continue to speak out against it. It's damaging SHIELD and it's stressing you out, I don't want my best girl being hounded for something she didn't do."

The brunette snuggled against her boyfriend's chest.

"I love you," she mumbled into his shirt.

"I love you too darling," he pressed kisses on her head, "How about we get our sweats on, eat some crap and watch a funny movie? You can show me something I've not seen."

"That sounds wonderful," Emily smiled weakly.

"Come on then," Steve took her by the hand, leading her to the bedroom.

LIGHT ME UP-

"We definitely have them spooked."

Sitwell, Pierce and Rumlow sat around a table together.

"We have the whole of SHIELD spooked," Rumlow confirmed, "Everyone in this place is nervous and confused about what is going on. If we keep hammering down, especially on the weaker people, we can get them all so scared that when Rogers is arrested for the crime, they'll be so relieved that we believe it."

"How are we doing on gaining evidence?" Pierce asked Sitwell.

"It's tougher than I expected," the bald headed agent admitted, taking his glasses off, "We can't skim on details, it has to be watertight. Fury and everyone else will throw their weight behind Rogers. Romanoff, Collins, Coulson and Barton are all going to be on side, and they have sway. Until then, we can't put Golden Boy behind bars."

"How long?"

"I really can't say, but it will be a while."

"That's ok," Pierce mused, "We've waited this long. We shall be strong- the path to power is not a smooth one. It will all be worth it when we twist SHIELD into our vision. We will use SHIELD to be our voice, shape the world as we do. The FBI and CIA will be nothing as compared to us. We will have the President's ear. No longer will the world be obsessed with good old boys like Rogers. They'll worship men like us, who are not happy with the status quo and are willing to change it. The public will believe the leader of the Avengers had abandoned them, whilst those who work around him in SHIELD will no longer support him. Collins and Rogers will no longer be together, he'll rot in a federal penitentiary for the rest of his life. The Avengers will fall apart."

He raised a glass.

"To The Power of Three."

"The Power of Three," the other two repeated, pushing their glasses together.

"Before we get too cocky though," Pierce continued, "I have one more plan that I think we can use to spook Rogers. How do you think he'd feel if he thought his little girlfriend was being followed? I think we might have to get some people on the case."

**Ooh, lots of drama as our villains plot to create fear for our heroes.**

**Next Time: A concerned Emily divulges her fears to Steve after the men's plans to freak her out begin. The two also hang out with the Avengers for the night, hoping that being with their friends will help them relax for a bit.**

**Thanks again, and don't forget to review xxx**


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for all the support so far! Please continue to review x**

**Chapter 22**

"Em, just pick a skirt. They're our friends; they don't care what you wear."

"I don't dress for other people, I dress for myself," Emily replied as she put an earring in, "Look, I want to wear my new skirt, but this one matches better with my top- _unless_ I change that."

Steve fell back onto the bed, groaning. He loved Emily, but she took FAR too long to get ready. Steve could grab a shirt and jeans, but Emily went through a whole catwalk before deciding what to wear, even for a casual dinner. Today's issue was which skirt was best to wear. It all looked the same to Steve, but apparently it wasn't.

"Ugh fine, I'll wear the matching one," Emily slipped it on.

As she did so, Steve caught the look she gave herself in the mirror.

He was relieved that Emily wasn't pregnant. The old Steve wanted nothing more than a house in the suburbs, wife, kids and dog. New Steve couldn't live without the fight, incompatible with being a normal parent. He'd have looked after Emily and the baby, but he felt relief that there was no child that could be put at risk. The only settling down Steve cared about was Emily.

It had clearly weighed heavily on Emily's mind though. She'd been shaken by it, much more than Steve had.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw the look you just made, something's wrong. Come on, tell me."

"We don't want to be late."

"Darling, after the pregnancy scare, I thought we'd agreed that you'd always tell me if something was on your mind," Steve's voice softened as he moved off the bed, holding out his hands, "Come on, sit down and we can talk."

Emily seated herself at the edge of the bed, Steve crouching down across from her.

"For the past week or so, I've had this feeling that I'm being followed. I walk down the street and I just have this instinct that I'm being watched. I'll look behind me and see normal people, not one person all the time. It's making me feel like I'm crazy but I can't shake this, not for a second. The pregnancy scare was just my body showing stress, but I feel that I am right about this one. I've heard that if you feel like someone's staring at you, they are, so maybe it's the same thing. Look, I can handle myself if I'm attacked, but I don't like this."

Steve took her hands.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

She nodded, "Positive."

He frowned.

"Stress can do funny things, but I am going to treat this like it's happening. I'm not going to lecture you on keeping safe because you know how to do that, but we have to ensure that you're ok. What we can do is make sure it's not stress, go to Dr. Reynolds and speak to her. If this helps and the operation eases, and you don't feel like you're being followed, then we know what it is. If that's sorted and you still feel it, then we know for absolutely sure. Right now, we treat it like somebody _is _following you. Just know that I will never let anything happen to you, ever. I'm not going to patronise you because you can handle yourself, but protecting the love of my life will always be my priority. You will always be safe with me. Hell, the Avengers would come like lightning if anyone tried to hurt you. Besides, I can totally see you kicking someone's ass. You're aware, your senses are heightened, it's good that you're alert because you're prepared. OK? I promise I'll never let anything happen to you."

"Dr. Reynolds hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, she dislikes the backchat."

"She's always trying to analyse me."

"That's because it's her job. Please, just go to her, we can make sure we've covered all our bases. If that stress caused a pregnancy scare, it might just make you on edge. We'll treat it seriously until we find out the truth. I'll keep you safe."

"Ok."

Steve kissed the top of Emily's head, "Come on, we'll be late. Let's take the night off to enjoy."

They left the apartment, Steve's arm tight around Emily as he looked around the parking lot. He'd be damned if anyone hurt her. Steve held Emily's hand the whole way there; apart from when he needed both for the steering wheel. He was pretty sure it was just stress, but Emily's insistence that it was real scared him. Steve prayed that seeking help would relax Emily. She was also carefree and spirited, completely opposite to him. Something had freaked her out.

At least a night with their friends would take their minds off things. Just entering the room gave them a chorus of hellos and hugs. Darcy and Jane were in town, as was Rhodey, so the whole gang was together.

Emily settled into Steve's arms, already feeling more secure. He smiled down at her as they listened to Tony's new wildest story.

"...Then he storms out of the office, shouting and screaming. He's got coffee on his tie and his shirt, and is waving his arms about. Think of every swear word under the sun and you've basically got it. This guy was just so angry, if he was Bruce, he'd turn into The Hulk. I'm nearly wetting myself laughing at him, I just don't get why he was so pressed, but it was hilarious."

"You put a modified whooping cushion on his chair, that might be why," Pepper pursed her lips

"So? He needed to lighten up."

"You're 45 years old."

"Can we see it?" Darcy gleefully asked.

"Don't encourage him," Pepper warned as she clutched her wine glass.

"Later," Tony winked when Pepper wasn't looking.

Steve looked over at Natasha. They'd trusted her to keep an eye on the investigation, not like they would have needed to ask anyway- Natasha had a sixth sense. Like them, she felt that something wasn't quite right. She trusted Fury absolutely, but there was something about Secretary Pierce that didn't sit right with her. The man turned down the Nobel Peace Prize and acted like a saint- only Steve could get away with being that good. Him investigating things wasn't right. Fury should be back from Europe, conducting this investigation with Commander Hill.

It wasn't even a thorough investigation. Everyone felt targeted- it was more than Pierce just making sure every angle was covered. Natasha had made a living out of being paranoid; she just didn't trust people naturally. Whilst Emily wasn't too concerned about Pierce, Steve certainly was.

Seeing the best in people hadn't always worked out well for him.

"Come on, dance battle," Tony stood up; waving the wristbands that connected them all to the game system.

Emily, Thor, Clint and Darcy stood up.

"Ah ah, not you," Tony shook his head at Emily.

"Why?" an offended Emily asked.

"You've won EVERY SINGLE TIME we've played this game, it's not fair."

"It's because I'm a trained dancer."

"Still, not fair. You need to give the rest of us a chance."

"If you don't give me the wristband, Stark, I will shove it so far up your asshole that it will come out of your mouth. Got it?"

Tony knew that Emily wouldn't do that, but he also knew that she could kick his ass. He meekly handed it over.

Thor didn't dance, he moved around like a man possessed, waving his arms and legs around. Dance had apparently been an elective on Asgard, one that he clearly didn't take. Clint wasn't bad, neither was Darcy. Tony had surprisingly smooth moves, but absolutely no control.

"Oh look, new high score," Emily flipped her hair back, "Looks like you were right. I'll be kind, let you guys continue without me."

Steve smirked as Emily returned to the sofa.

"That's my girl," he leaned down to kiss her on the head.

"In it to win it babe," the two high fived.

A ding a little while later from JARVIS indicated that the pizza had arrived. Tony, Rhodey and Bruce went downstairs to grab it, returning with bags and boxes piled higher than they could see. Everyone's mouth dropped open at the sight of it all.

With the exception of Thor, nobody else had seen that much food before for a medium sized group. It was as though Tony had bought out the pizza place. It wasn't only pizza though; they had sides like chicken wings and wedges. After a moment of shocked awe, everyone immediately piled as much food as they could on their plates.

Having four times the metabolism of the average person made Steve hungry. Emily watched as he shovelled the junk food down like there was no tomorrow, his mouth barely moving between bites. She liked cooking for Steve, he ate everything in sight. This was no exception. God, she wished she could eat like him- or drink like him, because he couldn't get drunk.

At least she always had a designated driver and someone to tuck her into bed when she got smashed.

"Are you actually breathing between bites?"

"Nope," Steve replied before ripping the skin off a chicken wing. On the other side of Emily, Coulson was also enjoying his food.

Men and their stomachs.

As soon as it was all done, it was clear that everybody was exhausted from eating. For a good fifteen minutes, no one moved- not even when Thor let out a fart that could kill a small animal. Everyone moaned, but no one was able to move. Emily lay against Steve, holding her stomach and wishing she'd maybe had a slice or two less.

That extra mini pizza was going to kill her.

Clint finally broke the silence.

"Who wants to hear what happened to me and Nat during our Germany mission the other day?"

That piqued everyone's interest- at least it was an activity that didn't require them to move.

"Ah yes, regale us with your tale!" Thor, the only one unaffected by the massive amount of food consumed, raised his beer.

"I'm totally writing a Shakespeare play based on this guy," Tony muttered to Jane, "The sex must be great if you can tolerate him sounding like he's from the 17th century."

Darcy burst out laughing as Jane gave a stern stare.

"Ok, so we're in Berlin, tracking down a far-left terrorist group wanting to kidnap high ranking officials. Don't worry- the Germans asked for our help. We're patrolling next to a canal in a residential part of the city when we spot one of the guys, and I gotta hand it to him, best beard ever. Like, I could live to 100 and not get anywhere near as cool as this guy. Anyway, we obviously give chase. Now this bastard is slippery and by god, he is fast. He'd make The Flash look like a snail. We run and we run, but this guy is just speedy. Back up is called in- Berlin police, German intelligence, the whole shebang. On his way, he pushes in to this little old lady- now that bit is important."

Natasha chuckled as she sipped on her beer bottle, laughing at the memory.

"It's like a cartoon, running around this canal as these citizens and tourists are watching us like 'what the heck.' Now, someone pulls up in a getaway vehicle and we're thinking that he's going to get away. Not close enough to shoot with pistols. Then, the moment arrives. Little old lady was pissed that she was rudely shoved, so she sticks out her little cane and then *SPLASH*, our guy falls straight into the canal."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"The German intelligence gets to the car, whilst we fish the guy out. Little old lady watches with a smirk then waddles away, not knowing that she'd got one of the most wanted men in Germany captured out of spite. It was brilliant. SHIELD should recruit her."

"It is the smallest among us who make the biggest heroes," Thor interjected, "Do you mind if I tell a tale now that you have finished yours?"

"Go ahead," Clint nodded.

"We were in the realm of Vanaheim, the home of my dearest friend and brother in arms, Hogun. Another group of Marauders had attacked again. Vanaheim folk are strong and brave like us, but they do not have the military capabilities that we do, so they called on us to help. As the warrior men and women fought, the elderly and the young were hidden away. Unfortunately, a small band of the Marauders managed to infiltrate their hiding place. A young Vanir boy went in front of his little sister and grandmother, faced one of the invaders. He distracted them long enough for us to rush to their rescue. That young boy knew that he could have been killed, but he was ready to defend the innocents. I hope one day that I will battle by his side. He was rewarded with a sip of Asgard's finest ale."

"Isn't that the stuff that knocks everyone bar you and Steve out?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, you gave it to a kid?" Rhodey asked.

"Vanir people have the same constitution as Asgardians, it was fine to give him a small sip. I was used to ale from a very young age. Father insisted, even though Mother disagreed. We were never given enough to get drunk on. Though one time, when Loki and I were about eleven or twelve, we snuck into the drinks cellar during a celebration party. We drank so much that we passed out in front of everybody in the dining room. I woke up with a stomach ache that plagued me for days, and Loki couldn't stomach the smell of food for half a week."

"A party in Asgard sounds amazing," Tony imagined him there.

"Well, when the time is quiet in the realm and you are all free, I am happy to take you all for a small party so that you may enjoy Asgard's riches. Father has softened after I took Jane to Asgard, he knows of Midgardian bravery."

"He also compared me to a goat," Jane added quickly.

"Father can be a bit...much," Thor acknowledged apologetically.

"Dads are hard," Rhodey agreed, "I was dating this girl in high school, her dad was one of the top cops in town. He really hated me, I don't know why. Everytime I came for dinner, he'd sit across from me and just stare while we ate. Her mom tried to break the silence, but it just wouldn't work. My neighbour saw him at a bar after me and the girl broke up, he was celebrating. Jokes on him, she dated a classmate later on, and he was an absolute troublemaker."

Steve was about to comment on Emily's father hating him when he noticed her sway slightly. Looking at her properly, he was alarmed to see that she had gone ghostly pale. This was whiter and white, she looked like death warmed up. Her eyes were glazed over and she was shaking.

"Em?"

"I don't feel so good," she managed.

"The food? The drinks?"

"No, it's not that, I just feel...off. I'm going to lie down for a second."

She got up, making her way to one of the spare bedrooms. Suddenly, she froze and started to cough into her hand. When Emily turned back around, Steve saw it.

Fresh blood.

Emily looked up, meeting Steve's eye, a deer in headlights look. She stared at her hands, comprehending what was going on.

"Steve?"

With that, she fell to the floor and started seizing.

**Cliffhanger alert!**

**Sorry that this one is so short! I usually try for a minimum of 3K words per chapter, but I just found it really difficult- it's much more of a filler anyway, so I'll give myself a break.**

**Next Time: Emily is rushed to SHIELD's hospital.**

**What do you think is wrong with Emily? Take a guess in the reviews.**

**Thanks again, hope you enjoy it and don't forget to review xxx**


	23. Chapter 23

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for all the support so far, don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 23**

_The only thing heard in the bedroom was the tweeting of the birds. It was quiet, peaceful with the sun hitting the curtains. Simply put, it was a perfect summer day._

_Emily was tangled up on the sheets, her hair falling over the pillow. She was peacefully daydreaming until a pair of arms snaked around her waist._

"_Good morning handsome."_

"_Good morning, my love," Steve peppered kisses down his wife's neck._

_Emily turned around, loving Steve's looped grin. She settled in his embrace, his hands rubbing her back and hers tapping along his chest. Even as eleven years had passed since they'd met, they were as madly in love as ever. Steve's kisses still gave her butterflies._

_This was where he was meant to be._

"_It's a quiet morning, isn't it?" Steve mumbled into Emily's shoulders._

"_I wish it would be like this more often."_

"_Well, let's make the most of this then," Emily went up to kiss him, but was interrupted by the door flying open and two little figures jumping onto the bed._

"_I spoke too soon," Steve whispered, Emily chuckling heartedly._

_The two children clambered onto the bed, happily climbing onto their parents without due consideration. It wasn't like Steve and Emily were bothered, as they moved out of the way in order to let them on properly. Inevitably, it was a knot of limbs._

"_Do you two not want to sleep a little longer?" Emily asked, "I suppose I must wait until you're teenagers."_

_James Phillip Rogers resembled his mother with dark brown hair and eyes. He was named after Bucky, of course, with his middle name after Coulson. Grace Audrey Rogers did not have familial namesakes, instead being called after Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Little Grace had her father's golden hair and blue eyes._

"_We wanted to hear more of papa's stories about Uncle Bucky," James' eyes lit up at the thought of hearing about his father's tales._

"_They're bedtime stories," Steve gently chided._

"_But we really want to hear them papa," Grace looked up with her big blue eyes. These always worked- she was a daddy's girl through and through, just like Tom and Emily._

"_How about I tell you about the shopkeeper's cat in Iraq?"_

"_Yes!"_

"_Yes!"_

"_Climb up then," Emily encouraged._

_Sandwiched between their parents, James and Grace stared up in wonderment at Steve as he began to tell an appropriate Iraq story for his children._

_Emily smiled at the sight- her husband exciting their children with stories from his days in Iraq and Afghanistan. Between the story, Steve looked over and mouthed 'I love you' to his wife. There was nothing more perfect to them both._

Emily was still halfway between this bizarre dream and reality when she finally awoke. The lights above her were blinding, searing into her blinking eyes as her vision went from faded to sharp. It was still a blur, all of this, confusion reigning over her. She had no clue where she was or what was happening, except that the lights were very strong.

What was going on?

Hands on her arms frightened her.

"It's me, Em, it's me."

Steve's reassuring words snapped her back to a conscious reality. She felt instant relief as she threw her arms around his neck, her face buried into his chest. The embrace was warm and loving, he was gripping her so tightly in order to have her as close to him as possible. When Steve held her like this, it meant something had upset him and he needed her close to calm himself down. Steve's hands weaved through her hair.

He always loved playing with her hair.

"What happened?"

"It just happened so quickly. You started coughing up blood then you just fell and started seizing. It wasn't for very long, but I just felt like time stopped at that moment. Natasha called one of the SHIELD medical units and they got you here. It's been about an hour and a half, they've run some tests. I'm your medical proxy so they asked me if it as ok to do tests. I hope that's alright."

Emily suddenly realised she was in one of SHIELD's premier hospital rooms. Steve refused to let Emily go to a regular hospital, he wanted somewhere safe and secure, where she would get the best treatment the quickest. The medical team had to physically take Emily from him, he hadn't left her side.

"That's fine, of course. Do they know anything?"

"Not yet, they're still running it. How are you feeling?"

"Ok, a little spaced but I have only just woken up. I feel better than I did before I collapsed, I felt like absolute shit then."

"I'm glad. I felt sick; I really thought something really bad had happened. When you started seizing, I legitimately thought my heart was going to stop beating. You were so pale when they loaded you into the vehicle, deathly pale. I...I thought I might lose you. I thought of everyone else- my mother, Bucky, Peggy and I was just so scared that I might lose the woman I love. I haven't prayed so hard to the Lord above in a long time."

"You're stuck with me for the long haul Rogers," Emily smiled, a little colour returning to her face.

Steve nodded sadly, still scared. He was terrified that she'd suddenly go into cardiac arrest or throw up blood, like in hospital movies. She looked better, but he wasn't stupid enough to think she was suddenly magically cured of whatever was done to her.

All he could do was hold her hand.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Emily recognised the woman who entered as Dr. Stafford, someone she had probably never interacted with before.

Steve jumped up as though someone had stuck a spring up his butt.

"Agent Collins, how are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess."

"Do you know what's wrong?" Steve asked, reaching for Emily's hand.

"We ran every panel of tests we could, as well as an ECG whilst you were unconscious. Everything came back perfectly normal apart from one thing. Your blood had a pretty large level of toxiodine."

"What's that?" Steve immediately questioned, bristling at the deadly sounding name.

"It's a rare chemical. It is little understood in terms of practical nature, hence why it's only found in top research facilities- such as here. In smaller doses, it can cause a vague sense of illness and confusion, though with no specific symptoms. The levels in Agent Collins' blood were not high enough to cause worry regarding serious illness; it was enough for her coughing and seizing. It would not have been deadly anyway, so we were never that serious. Fortunately, we do know that broad spectrum medicines get it out of the body pretty much instantly. If you would like, we can set it up immediately. It's just three shots to the arm."

Steve jumped in, "What about side effects?"

"Unless Agent Collins had hidden allergies, I wouldn't be worried, it's broad spectrum stuff."

"Will I be able to go home after?" Emily hated hospitals.

"We'll keep you in overnight, but you should be able to go home in the morning. We'll run some blood tests when you get up, just to be sure that it's all gone. If it's not, we'll just give you some more medicine."

Emily nodded, "Ok. Which arm?"

"Whichever arm isn't your dominant one."

Emily rolled her left sleeve up, placing her arm on the side. She didn't even wince as the needles went into her arm.

"We're done," Dr. Stafford confirmed with a smile, "The spare nightgown is here. Bathroom and everything else is there. If you need anything, the call bell is up there. It's probably best that you sleep, you'll be exhausted. Do you need anything before I go?"

"I'm good thanks," Emily turned to Steve, "You go home and get some rest honey. I'll call you in the morning."

"I'm staying here."

"Oh no, hospitals suck, you don't have to stay."

"Emily, you're in hospital, there is no way in hell that I am leaving you alone. I will be by your side; I would never leave you when you need me most. I am not going home."

"The chair isn't comfortable."

"I have slept on the ground in Nazi-held France, this isn't a challenge. I'd do it again if that means I am by your side. Stop making excuses for me to leave, because I'm not. The chair is fine, so long as I'm with you."

_How is he so incredibly sexy but so adorably cute at the same time?_

Emily had to give into him when he had his sad eyes. Besides, she knew he was absolutely not going to move. She'd once had a minor cold (Emily never got sick, so this was rare), before they were living together. Steve had immediately come round with soup and cough syrup, batting away Emily's assurances that it was just a snuffle that would go away the next day. He'd wrapped her in blankets and watched an old romance film with her. Emily had been fine the next day, but Steve wouldn't budge.

"Ok."

"I'll leave you two alone," Dr. Stafford knew it was best to go, "Goodnight."

They bid her goodnight.

"Are you going to have a shower?"

"I'm just gonna brush my teeth and change, I'm beat," Emily let out a huge yawn, slipping out of the bed.

Steve was immediately up to help her out of bed, but Emily swatted his hands away. In an attempt to pacify him, she pecked him on the cheek.

"Don't lock the door!" he yelled after her.

Steve stripped to his underwear and shirt, throwing the rest over a spare chair. Emily came out in the loose gown, immediately climbing into the bed.

"That doesn't look comfortable," she indicated at the chair.

"It's fine, I'll manage."

"Come sleep with me."

"The bed's tiny Em, there won't be much room."

"Don't be silly," she moved to the side, patting the space beside her. It didn't take much convincing; Steve wanted to be near her.

The squeeze was admittedly tight, but it was manageable. After putting the blankets over them, Steve wrapped both arms around Emily and nestled his face in her dark hair. She smiled as she felt his skin against hers. After the evening they had, she needed the comfort of her Steve.

That dream though. She knew that he wasn't from the past in that dream, that he was a normal man from this age. They were married with children, living in a suburban house. It was far away from what they had. Emily lived a life of adrenaline and danger that she loved. She felt like she had dreamt an alternative reality, where Steve was a regular guy.

"Steve."

"Yes?"

She paused, wondering whether to bother Steve with it. It wasn't their life and it wouldn't be. She was ok with that. He was ok with that. There was no need to labour the point that they'd made when Emily had the pregnancy scare.

"I'm glad you're here."

"I would never leave you."

"I know. Goodnight Stevie, I love you."

"I love you too, my darling, rest well," he kissed her cheek.

Emily fell asleep a second later; she always fell asleep straight away. Whilst she slept the night away in peace, Steve couldn't sleep a wink. He lay wide awake, listening to Emily's gentle breathing. Images of her seizing and coughing blood played through his mind like a movie theatre. He was terrified that she would just stop breathing in the night.

Steve was blessed with the fact that he didn't really need sleep; otherwise he'd be a zombie in the morning.

Emily awoke with a smile, twisting her body around so she could kiss him.

"How did you sleep?"

"Fine," he lied, "Not too bad. How are you feeling this morning?"

"The sleep did me well. I think the shots worked."

"Great," Steve pecked her on the top of the head, shifting up to give her room, "I'm ready for breakfast."

"Me too, I am super hungry."

Steve showered and dressed as Emily read the news on her phone. When he came out of the shower, he saw Dr. Stafford talking to Emily.

"Good morning Captain," Dr. Stafford smiled, "We're just talking about giving you both breakfast before doing the blood test. One of the cafeteria staff will come in just a few minutes."

"Fantastic," Steve sat by Emily's bed, gripping her hand.

Breakfast was welcomed by both, Emily looking at the coffee as though God himself had brewed it. Steve wolfed down everything in sight, though refusing when Emily offered anything to him. It was a peaceful moment for them both, with all the chaos around them.

Dr. Stafford arrived to check the bloods. Not only a minute later and there was a knock on the door.

"That was quick," Emily remarked.

It wasn't Dr. Stafford, however, who entered. It was Pierce.

Steve sprung up again, going over with an outstretched hand, "Mister Secretary."

"Oh no need to stand on my account," Pierce shook the offered hand, "I heard that Agent Collins was hospitalised by some noxious substance from the lab and wanted to see how she was."

"Well that's very kind of you," Emily straightened her bed sheets, "Erm, I guess I feel better. They'd pumped me full of medicine and they've just run a blood test to see if I'm clear."

"That is good to hear. I assure you that I will be speaking to the scientific team tomorrow to ensure that this never happens again. I can't pretend to know science like they do, but I'm sure that they will be able to keep this substance in a more secure facility. Perhaps we can send it to the Science and Technology Academy, it's more their thing. It won't happen again. Are you able to return to work this week?"

"I'm not sure," Emily shrugged, "I'll see what the doctors say to me."

Steve had also planned to go speak to the scientists, but not probably in the calm terms Pierce was. He was seeing red and though he'd remain polite, he would make it clear he blamed them for not storing the toxiodine properly. Dr. Stafford had said it wouldn't have killed Emily, but seeing her hurt made him beyond angry. No one hurt his girl, accident or not.

He wouldn't tell Emily though; she'd tell him not to cause trouble. What he did know was that if he was in the hospital bed, Emily would not be shy about raising hell.

"I imagine they'll ask you to rest. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to speak to the WSC, the day is busy. The scientists will be spoken to."

"Thank you for coming, we're really grateful for your help," Steve thanked him.

"Yeah, thanks," Emily smiled.

"I'll speak to you tomorrow," Pierce smiled politely before turning around. As soon as he walked down the eyes, he rolled his eyes at their starry-eyed lovers routine. God, he couldn't wait til he'd conquered Captain Rogers and forced him to spend the rest of his life in a federal penitentiary. Watching Agent Collins sob for him would make his day.

They waited a little while longer, chatting aimlessly. Steve couldn't help but eye the heart monitors and everything else, praying to God that they wouldn't suddenly spike.

Dr. Stafford arrived with Dr. Reznik, the senior medic at the base. A tall, broad man with friendly eyes, he stood with his fellow doctor at the foot of Emily's bed.

"We have good news," Dr. Stafford had a huge smile on her face, "Your blood tests haven't just come back with a reduced count, but they're completely gone. You never know, you could have immunity, but we'll have to see what the medical community has to say about that. Now you can get dressed and head home."

"Thank God," Emily looked jubilant, "Thank you so much, for all of your help. Medicine is amazing."

"With your consent, we'd like to test some of your blood to send to the science team, in order to study the toxiodine. I know you must be pissed about the whole situation, but it could help. We'd use your bloods with the toxiodine in, the one from today then perhaps a couple from the coming week."

"Yeah, that's cool. Perhaps it'll help other people," Emily scrunched her nose up, "But yeah, you're right that I'm pissed. I'm not going to take it out on those who might need it."

"Great, we'll schedule in for Tuesday and Thursday," Dr. Stafford scribbled on a pad.

"So I'll be able to get back to work?" Emily's eyes lit up.

"You will," Dr. Stafford told her with a smile.

"There are some conditions though," Dr. Reznik spoke for the first time, "We'll have to get you off active duty for a week, just so make sure that you don't get overexcited and do something. The command centre can be sent a doctor's note if needed, just go to them tomorrow to explain and if they ask, we'll send it along. After next weekend, you'll be able to go back on assignments. This goes without saying, but no strenuous activity. Minor activity is fine, but no full gym sessions or the like."

"Well that means sex is out of the window for a week, right honey?"

Steve hid his shock behind a forced cough. Dr. Reznik raised his eyebrows slightly whilst Dr. Stafford tried to rearrange her face from a smile to a neutral expression.

"If you'd like to shower and dress, we'll come back in fifteen minutes with your discharge notes," Dr. Reznik interrupted the awkward silence.

"Great, thank you both," Steve was still red with embarrassment, "You shower Em, I'll sort our stuff out then we can get home. Don't lock the door."

Emily was glad to have a warm shower. She'd keep her party clothes on until they got home, which was when her sweats would go right on. Steve was dressed and packed when she came out.

"Are we gonna get a cab to the tower then drive our car home?"

"Tony had one of his staff drive it over, we're sorted doll," Steve smiled at her, taking her hand, "The discharge papers are here, you just need to read them and sign at the bottom. We can go home and relax, your uncle is going to visit later to check his favourite niece is ok."

"Aww, my two favourite guys," Emily read the discharge notes, scribbling the bottom, "I am going to eat my weight in crap when we get home."

"Sounds good. Are you ready doll?"

She nodded, taking Steve's hand and squeezing it tightly. Dropping the discharge papers off, they headed out into the car park.

"I'm going to get them some desserts or something, to thank them for looking after my girl so well."

"I'll chip in, make it a joint one. A thank you card as well, I think that works. I can tell you one thing, I would not have predicted this twenty four hours ago. Man, it's good to be going home."

"You had to make the sex comment, didn't you?"

"Well, our sex would never be classed as minor activity, it's always strenuous."

"I'm sure the doctors didn't need to know that, darling."

"Ugh I'm gonna have to wait a week to be with you. God you're sexy when you're all protective and cute, you know that?"

"I don't doubt it Em," he held the car door open for her; "Shall we have a movie marathon when we get home? There's popcorn in the cupboard, we can wear our sweats and cuddle under a blanket. I can cook dinner tonight."

"God, I don't want to be back with food poisoning tomorrow."

"Yeah, maybe I'll get something out of the freezer," Steve laughed, before going serious, "I'm glad you're ok though, really. I was terrified when you started coughing up blood. You were there on the floor, seizing, and I was helpless. I couldn't be your knight in shining armour. My job is to keep you safe and look after you."

"You're not medically trained darling," Emily touched his cheek, "You can't protect me from everything. You're an Avenger, but you can't deal with every threat. It was a freak accident that no one could have seen coming. You may not be a knight in shining armour, but you're a hot guy in shining spandex that really shows off your ass."

"Emily Collins, you are the worst," Steve laughed, "I love you, but you're the worst."

Pulling out of the parking lot, Steve felt even more determined to marry that girl. Unfortunately, there would be more than a few obstacles in the way.

**Hi guys, sorry for the wait. I hope that you all enjoyed it though.**

**Next Time: Emily spends time with her friends, whilst Steve has a very bad mission.**

**Thanks again, don't forget to review to let me know what you think. See you on the other side on Chapter 24 xxx**


	24. Chapter 24

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far, don't forget to review. I hope everyone is keeping safe and well in these difficult times xxx**

**Chapter 24**

"Hi, one BLT salad, a smoked chicken wrap, a grilled cheese sandwich, medium flat white, medium cappuccino and double latte to eat in please."

It was Emily's turn to buy lunch for the group today. Natalie and Aaron sat on one of the faux bohemian café chairs as Emily ordered at the counter. Though the week doing paperwork was tough, she had felt better immediately and glad it was all out of her system. The blood tests had come back normal and any remaining worried was sapped away with the results.

The sex with Steve was definitely worth the wait though.

Tapping her card, she cursed the extortionate New York prices. She wouldn't trade living in the city for anywhere else, but she missed the cheap coffee in Hampton and New Haven.

As she headed to her friends, she felt someone bump against her. She turned her head to see two teenage boys, both carrying Midtown Tech Opening Day tote bags.

"Sorry ma'am," the brown haired boy apologised.

"No problem," Emily smiled back, remembering her conversation with Morita's grandson, "Hey, you'll like Midtown Tech, the principal is cool."

"We hope so too," the other boy, who was a little larger, smiled brightly at her.

She slipped into her seat, "What are we talking about?"

"Just about how the scientists are all scared of Steve now," Aaron told her, "Hey, I was in the bathroom this morning and Steve was there too. One of the lab rats walked in, took one look at Steve, and bolted out of there like a terrified rabbit. My God, I was glad I was at a urinal because I just about pissed myself. Like, they're all scared shitless and I'm like, that's the guy whose apartment I go to for dinner parties. He's like the nicest guy ever but they are basically forced to wear brown underwear around him now."

True to his word, Pierce had spoken to the science lab about proper storage use.

Steve also decided to pay a little visit, but he was much less diplomatic and police. The sight of Emily seizing as the toxiodine coursed through her veins was too much. Anyone who hurt his girlfriend, whether it was a slight insult or accidentally exposing her to a noxious substance, would not get away with it. Once he knew that Pierce had talked to them, he headed down himself.

He was not a threatening type, but he made sure that his words cut deep.

Emily only found out about this when one of the scientists rushed up to apologise to her. The poor guy was quivering and looked as though he was about to burst into tears, so Emily kindly accepted his apology and asked why he was so freaked out.

When she asked Steve about it, he just kissed her on the head and told her that she wasn't to worry. It was kind of out of character for him to get angry like this, but Emily knew he'd not been cruel and was just happy that he'd done that to protect her.

That made waiting for sex quite a bit harder- he was _very _sexy when he went all Captain America on people.

"Yeah, but Steve would kill anyone who hurt Emily. Remember when he punched Rumlow in the face?" Natalie reminded him, "That was before they were even dating."

"Plus, it really turns me on with the whole Captain Rogers thing," Emily smirked, "Let me tell you, when he comes back from a mission all beaten up, it doesn't usually end with him going straight to bed. That suit does wonders for his...area."

"God I would kill to have regular sex," Natalie moaned, "It's like running water- I like a tap and want to know where my water is coming from. You can go home and it's there, you know. It may not be every single day, but you know where your next time is coming from. Look, I'm not someone who sleeps around a lot, you know that, but I like to have a schedule. If I could get a guy as hot as Steve and apparently that great in bed, I would never let him go."

"Amen to that sister."

"Stop complaining Nat. You're 27, plenty of time to settle down."

"It's not like I want marriage, I want regular sex."

"Believe me, I don't have that problem," Emily sang.

"Yeah, not like you ever mention that," Aaron sang back, Emily kicking him under the table.

With the food on the table, they began lunch.

"Hey, what about that guy you met at the market? He was cute," Emily asked.

"Oh him," Natalie put her head in her hands, "Basically, we went to dinner and he slurped his noodles. Now, that on its own doesn't sound too bad, but the sound...it just wasn't human. Seriously, no human has ever made that sound before, I GUARANTEE it. I could overlook it, because they're noodles, and Mr. Chow down in Kips Bay is the absolute best, so I can understand that. So we head home and all the way, I'm thinking, I'm gonna ask this guy up. Now, it's a second date and I didn't plan on sleeping with him that quickly, but a bit of fooling around. We get to my building and it's all awkward fumbling like 'this is fun,' and then he kisses me."

Emily and Aaron leaned in, hooked on her every word.

"He was ALL TONGUE. It was like two seals wrestling for dominance. My mouth was wet, like full of saliva like my cousin's boxer dog when it drools everywhere. His tongue just went around my mouth, full circle as if he's my dentist. It was _disgusting. _I mean, it was the grossest thing I have ever done. Hell, in seventh grade I made out with Jimmy Zagrinski when he had those massive metal braces and had just eaten a hot dog filled with onion. That was better than this, miles better."

"Did you tell him?" Emily asked.

"No, I couldn't. If he was a dick who thought he was God's gift to women I would have, but he was so sweet and the way he looked at me, I wanted to cry. I told him that I was super busy and that I would call him as soon as I could. I ignored his calls and that was that. Like, I'm sorry I ghosted him but I couldn't tell him."

"I think you should have. You have a duty to every other single woman in New York City; you can't let him loose like that. Besides, if he never learns, you won't be the last person to ghost him."

"Yeah, it's like this girl I dated who liked to massage me. Worst massages ever, it's like someone poured rocks on my back. She said she loved to do it to guys and believe me, I wished someone was honest with her before she got her hands on me."

"So what did you do?" Natalie asked.

"I told her."

"How did that go?"

"She cried and left, said I didn't appreciate her talent. I was like whatever; at least if someone else tells her she can take it as proof."

Emily nodded in appreciation as Natalie looked at Aaron as though he was evil.

"That's a bit mean," Natalie protested.

"Relationships are about communication though," Emily sipped her coffee, "You need to know what the other likes, physically and emotionally. If you plan to go forward, you need to know that you're doing the right thing. If I was with a guy and there was something he didn't like physically, I'd want him to come out and tell me. I wouldn't be offended, everyone has likes and dislikes. Whether it's tongue guy or massage girl, everyone needs to know."

"That is why you're the only one of us in a stable relationship," Aaron tipped his head.

"Speaking of which, 11 o'clock, girl over there is staring at you."

They all slowly turned to see a girl with dyed pink hair and a nose ring looking at them.

"I don't do nose rings."

"You need to get laid and if you want to do that, get out of your comfort zone," Natalie advised, "She looks free spirited! That might be good. Besides, I wouldn't go pink or anything with the hair, but I think she's quite a pretty girl."

"I'm not so sure..."

"Ugh, you're such a baby, watch this," Emily got up, grabbing a pen and napkin, ignoring Aaron's pleas for her to stop. She boldly walked over to the girl.

"Hi, my friend Aaron saw you staring and he thinks you're cute too, so here's his number," she started scribbling on the napkin.

"Erm, this is really awkward, but I was actually looking at the girl with you."

Emily's eyes widened.

"Oh shit, I really thought you were looking at him."

"It's ok, happens all the time," the girl shrugged, "Is she, erm, single? She's pretty hot."

"She doesn't swing that way, I'm sorry, but I will tell her you think she's hot. It's a great confidence boost. Good luck though; I hope the next one will be up your street."

"Thanks," the woman smiled kindly.

Emily walked back to the table; the others looked at her expectantly.

"So?" Aaron asked.

"She wasn't looking at _you," _Emily's eyes darted over to Natalie, who suddenly realised, "She said you're 'pretty hot,' actually."

"You're kidding," Aaron deadpanned.

"That's so sweet of her," Natalie put a hand on her heart, "Aww, I hope she finds someone nice."

"I told you she wasn't my type."

"More like she's not yours buddy," Emily laughed, "Hard luck."

Aaron stuck his tongue out, "God I feel sorry for Steve, having to put up with you. That man deserves a damn medal."

"I'm his medal, actually," Emily tossed her hair back, she and Natalie bursting out laughing.

"Why am I friends with you two again?"

"Well, we're like Old Spice- the best a man can get," Natalie sang.

"I am now going to throw my shower gel out when I get home."

"Love you too Pierce," Emily looked at her phone, "We should probably head back. I swear to God, Agent Blake gave me extra paperwork because he overhead me saying he has a stick up his ass. Like sorry, but he's a jerk."

They headed out, laughing as they headed back to the building. Emily was so involved with her friends that she didn't get that feeling of being followed once again.

She was, however, being followed. It had not stopped, they had not stopped.

LIGHT ME UP-

Firefights were not like in the movies. People didn't shout over them, seemingly hearing everything the other had said. It was quick and everyone had the most improbable aim in the world. A single shot could kill someone and they died after a monologue.

The bullets were so loud that Steve _really _had to strain and yell into his earpiece.

A Chitauri gun had once again fallen into the wrong hands, having been stolen from right under SHIELD's nose. Steve had been sent to retrieve it, along with a batch of the 'graduating' class from the academy. He felt like an awkward kindergarten teacher with a group of wide eyed children. These recruits were only (physically) a few years younger than him, but they all worshiped the ground Captain America walked on.

They were scattered around the warehouse, receiving fire like they had never seen before. All that training came down to this.

'_There won't be any redoes or resets. There won't be an instructor coming from behind a door to tell you that you've been 'shot' and need to redo the training. If you get hurt here, you'll likely be a in a hospital wing. Being shot isn't like in the movies; you won't crawl back up and get a few hits in. It hurts like absolute hell and it can possible disable you._

_The bad guys won't go down with one hit in their chest. You have to fight them properly. There are no gimmicks or games, no prizes to be done. You're in a shooting zone and no one will rescue you if you fail. If you fail here, it may be the end of the line for your career. This will not be the worst thing you will handle, not by a long shot. Focus your mind and everything you can in your surroundings._

_If you succeed, then you know that you embody what SHIELD wants in a person. Let's go everyone.'_

That had been his pre-mission motivational speech, something he found himself doing every time. He'd been told he was rather good at those.

The bullets rained above them- it seemed they had half an armoury at their disposal. Every fired bullet pierced the eardrums, loud and clear. They whizzed past his shield, some only grazing the side of it and missing Steve, who was curled up as tightly as he could with only his eyes hovering above the top.

"THOSE NEAREST TO THE DOOR, ADVANCE FORWARD AND STOP THE OUTER LAYER OF COMBATANTS!" he commanded, hoping that most of them could hear him well enough.

Luckily for Steve, they did, leaving him to use hand to hand combat to deal with the larger men. It was effortless for him, his fists pounding against flesh and his shield leaving large marks on faces. Gun out, he incapacitated as many as possible, with the others receiving a shoot to kill order.

Just as he took the last one down, he turned to see one more combatant emerge from behind some crates. The guy was drawing his gun.

"WAIT!" he called.

It all happened in quick motion, which was when Steve knew it was too late. A bullet flew through the gun and straight into the ribs of a young agent.

The whole world stopped, Steve managing to snap himself out of it just quick enough to get three bullets into the assailant. Quickly looking around, he indicated the others come out and form a protective circle around them as he checked on the guy.

The bullet had lodged itself into the guy's shirt, blood squeezing out of it. He looked so much younger as he stared at his bloodied shirt, eyes widened as he realised the severity of the situation.

"Someone head to the jet and press the black emergency button which connects to SHIELD medical services and tell them what has happened. I also need the stretcher, which you can get beside it by releasing the valve. NOW!"

A couple of them went scrambling off, Steve turning his attention back to the injured agent.

"What's your name kid?"

"Max...sir," he stuttered. No bleeding from the mouth, that was good.

"Ok, where does it hurt?"

"Lower ribs, ahhh," he screamed in agony when Steve pressed it slightly.

"Well I don't know whether it's gone through the other side or if it's lodged in, it's best to keep that to the medical professionals. Ok, someone go grab some napkins or towels or whatever else is available, bring it to me now. We need to press onto the wound."

A girl crouched down next to Max.

"Max, it's gonna be ok, it probably won't have hit an artery or anything," she put a hand on his shoulder, "Remember, we're gonna be SHIELD agents, we've gotten this far without dying or whatever. I'm sure it's more painful than it is deadly."

"Thanks Leslie," he grimaced.

Steve allowed himself to look at the pair. Leslie was looking at Max with more than just friendly concern, it was something else. It was how he looked at Emily when something had happened. He knew this look well enough. His heart broke for her. He'd felt helpless when Emily seized on the floor in front of his eyes, he imagined it was the same for Leslie.

Some others rushed back, throwing scraps of material on Max's body. Steve grabbed them together and pressed them tightly onto the wound, his own hands covered with blood.

"Medics are informed at The Bunk!" someone called to Steve, who could see the stretcher out of the corner of his eyes.

"Graves, isn't it?" Steve looked at Leslie, who nodded, "I want you to keep the pressure on, do not move your hand. You can take a break when we get back on the jet, but not before. Don't do it too hard, but I don't want it soft either. Make sure you can feel his skin. Got it?"

"Yes Captain."

"Ok, guys over here, I want you to take the stretcher. One on each part of it, here you go. Ok Max, this is gonna hurt a bit when they pull you up. On my count, you follow me to the jet and secure Max. When we get there, I'd like several of you to alternate the pressure on Max here so that everyone has a break. Follow me."

Max winced as he was carried onto the jet. Steve called the medics to give them an ETA, using wipes to get some of the blood off of his hands. Once everyone was in safely, Steve started the jet.

He looked back every so often, seeing Leslie hold Max's hand. Seeing that made his gut twist.

Landing was a relief beyond measure, as was seeing the medics head in to take Max. The remaining agents stayed on, looking to him for instructions.

"Debrief will occur at 09:00 as previously stated. It's been a stressful day, so I want you all to go home and rest well. Tragically, today is an example on what can and will likely go wrong at least a dozen times in your career, if not more. It will be discussed at debrief tomorrow. Trainee Agent Smith will be in my prayers tonight and whatever your beliefs, I hope he will be in yours too. I've seen only recently firsthand how amazing the medics at SHIELD are, so I am confident in Smith's recovery. Well done everyone, I was impressed today, especially seeing how you all came together at the end. Goodnight all."

They scurried off, leaving Steve to shut shop. His head was racing with thoughts as he went home.

His keys jangling in the lock, he was happy to push the door open and go home. This apartment had the only person in the world he wanted to see.

Emily emerged with a sweet smile, "Hi, you're home. How was it?"

"Trainee got shot."

She stopped, her face going pale.

"Oh honey, you're kidding."

"I wish I were. In the ribs. He's going to be ok but still."

"Oh come here honey," Emily went forward to comfort him, wrapping her arms around his shoulder. He pulled her to him, burying his head in her hair and shoulder.

"It was my fault."

"What?" Emily pulled her head back.

"I saw the assailant a fraction of a second too late. Anytime earlier, and the kid wouldn't have been shot."

"Steve, you can't be omnipresent."

"I know that, but I'm Captain America. The serum was supposed to make me better and stronger, with the best hearing and eyesight and senses, but I just wasn't focused enough when I was supposed to be training them. Fighting one on one for me, I shouldn't even need to concentrate, but I was too focused on myself and not my surroundings. That's everything I'd tell them not to do."

"That may be true, but you have to focus on yourself. Every agent keeps their focus when they're fighting, that's also what we're taught in training. I'm not looking around when some guy twice my size is trying to choke me."

"I'm an Avenger, this should be effortless."

"You think that Nat and Clint don't put everything into a fight? Of course they do. Natasha is the world's best assassin and she would never slack. You can't always be a team player, being an individual is often what saves your ass. Steve, it sucks it happened on your watch, but every senior agent has seen it happen on their watch. Hey, on my first senior agent mission, we got hijacked and taken hostage. There's nothing we can do. Don't dwell on it."

"I feel guilty that I've come home to my girl and he's spending time in hospital."

"It's always a risk. It shouldn't be, but it's a risk. So many people in all walks of life get hurt and whilst it's not ok, it does happen. SHIELD isn't a kindergarten or a dog day care. Your team did really well. You made sure he got medical attention quickly, I'm sure of it. I am sure that kid will be fighting hard; he's a SHIELD trainee after all. We're a tough breed. He wouldn't have got in if he wasn't the best a man can be."

"Em, I missed it. Just like I missed-"

"Don't say it," Emily put a finger to his lips, "Don't compare him to Bucky. That wasn't your fault and though this situation may be different, this wasn't your fault either."

"I can't get it out of my head."

"You're going to have to live with this, but just know it's not your fault my darling. It's not, I promise you. Tomorrow, you and I will go to see this kid at the hospital wing to support him. Hospitals are scary; we need to give him the support we got when I was inside. I have some leftover baked goods, I'm sure he'll wolf those down if he knows what's good for him."

"Yeah, good idea. I can apologise."

"Do what you feel comfortable with, but know you're ok- you didn't cause this."

Steve wouldn't be swayed by Emily's words.

"Come on honey, let's shower- you need to get that blood away, you don't need a reminder. We can shower then cuddle on the sofa. If you want to go to bed now, we can do that as well."

He let her take his hand and lead him down the hallway. In times like this, he was so glad that he had Emily Collins in his life.

Still, he felt that guilt.

**Hello all, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Next Time: Steve and Emily come closer to the truth, leading them to a secret that could blow the SHIELD leadership apart.**

**We're about 4 chapters away from finishing! Let me know what you think and don't forget to review please xxx**


	25. Chapter 25

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far, don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 25**

God, looking through SHIELD accounts were boring- if they had accountants, why were they making an agent do it?

Still, Emily needed to check expenses reports to see if her claims had gone through. As she went through her account, something caught her eye.

There had been no reason for her to look at the transactions concerning the technology that the _North Dawn _had brought to SHIELD. That was for accounts and tech, simple as that. She didn't even know what was on the ship until she'd disembarked, but even then she wasn't _entirely _sure what it all was.

It was on her section, owing to her actually being on the mission. Clicking on it, she scrolled down the page, casually looking at what had been bought. It was mainly radar equipment and screens, for exactly the eye-watering price she expected. Emily was about to click off the page, but then something practically jumped out at her.

_Personnel- $10M/1.38M CAD_

Emily frowned.

How could she, Sitwell, Irving and those Communications graduates cost that much? There was no way to explain it, absolutely no way. It could be the cost of the grad education, but even then, it was a steep price. Was it Steve and STRIKE Team Delta? No, they wouldn't be included either- though she knew Steve could ask for (and get) a better salary than the one he got now.

She clicked on it, but the page came up with RESTRICTED- ALPHA level. Frustrated, she travelled over to a random piece of tech, again restricted but to a lesser extent- tech and accountants, as was standard.

That was standard, but the personnel being Alpha level confused her. Alpha was Nick Fury level, not even Commander Hill could get that high up. It didn't make sense, especially since he'd been in Europe for so long.

Then it clicked- Secretary Pierce. He was that high up, he could have access to this. Emily trusted Pierce, but she knew she couldn't just walk up to him and ask about it. If it was Alpha level, then it wasn't like he was about to tell her what was going on.

Next to the personnel bit, however, was a 7 digit code. It was assigned to all agents, their individualised expenses number. Well, at least that was easy to check.

_8742398_

One hit- Franklin Delano.

Ok, apparently Franklin D. Roosevelt was a member of SHIELD. Searching further, however, she could find nothing on this 'Franklin Delano.' There was not a single hit, profile or report containing his name. His name did not appear anywhere, not even in the former and deceased agents section.

A ghost had paid $10M for some personnel.

That's when it hit her- they'd converted it to Canadian Dollars. That meant only one thing- _Gratuit Q._

Someone at SHIELD had paid millions to Sartre and the terrorists. It couldn't be anyone outside of the agency; otherwise it would come up as someone else. Some insider had hired or paid them for some inane reason.

_Just who the hell was this Franklin Delano?_

Emily had to find out who this person was. Whoever it was had funded terrorists who could have quite easily killed the man she loved; Natasha and other people. She didn't care about herself right now; she just wanted answers to this puzzle. Somehow, she'd stumbled upon the closest thing she had to an answer and she was not letting go.

There was one person at SHIELD who knew everything about anyone and had the means to find out if they didn't.

Natasha.

Not wanting to risk messaging her, Emily logged off and jumped out of her chair. She paced the corridors of SHIELD until she saw the redhead walking down the corridor.

"Natasha!"

"Hi Emily, what's up?"

Emily stepped closer, until they were in whispering distance.

"I need you to do something for me. I have a name and nothing more. I need to find out who this person is. It's classified, mostly, but I know you have more intel than anyone bar Nick Fury."

"Is this about the investigation?"

Emily froze.

"I don't want to get you involved."

"Emily, you and Steve trusted me to help dig around. I'm not scared of revealing a name."

"It's above my level."

"I know that if you're asking me, it's for a good reason, that's all. We're friends- I trust you. Now- what's the name?"

"It's Franklin Delano."

Natasha paused.

"When high up SHIELD figures need to send money for a sketchy cause, they'll use a pseudonym. It's always a really common name, like a President or a famous actor. Franklin Delano, William Clinton, Christopher Lee, stuff like that. It's not _technically _against SHIELD rules, but you can get a lot of shit for it. Using one of these names means it's big, big shit. Usually, they would just raise the level to 10 or Alpha or whatever so most people couldn't see it. If they're using a pseudonym, it means it's sketchy as hell. Whoever this is did NOT want to be discovered. Nobody else knows who it is, unless the person tells them. Names are never used twice, even by the same people. This is one name that I cannot give you more info on. All I know is that they're probably really high up and/or into something that isn't right."

"Like Fury high?"

"Yep, like Fury high."

"You don't think it's him?"

Natasha shook her head, "Honestly, I don't know- it could be Fury, he's the master spy. It also could be a lot of other people. Unless you know Fury was directly involved, then you might have to scratch him off the list. Look, I can't lie. I don't trust a lot of people, but I trust Fury. He's a good man. I don't believe he would do something like this. This is someone else. I just don't know who."

Emily nodded carefully, "So there's no indication- they just pick a name, it's not even related."

"Exactly. Someone could use 'Audrey Hepburn' and it wouldn't be you, as that's far too obvious."

"Right, ok. That gives me something."

"It's not a lot, I know."

"It's more than I came here with. Someone paid money to some bad, bad people. We know it's an inside job at the very least. Someone at SHIELD is dirty."

"Or some people," Natasha corrected, "It may be one name, but there could be more to it than that."

"I have to find Steve. Thank you, you've been really helpful."

"Be careful, Emily. You might be getting into something bigger than you are."

"I will. See you."

"Bye."

Also not wanting to trust her devices, Emily decided to find Steve the old fashioned way. She eventually located him in the Virtual Reality Suite, practicing tactics. He obviously didn't see her, instead focusing on whatever he was watching. Emily tapped him on the shoulder.

He pulled the goggles up and looked at her.

"Hi darling, what's up?"

"I've found something."

Steve didn't need to ask any further.

"We need to go somewhere private," she continued.

He followed her out of the room, down the hall and into one of the small meeting rooms. Emily clicked the button the indicate 'occupied- only knock if urgent,' and made sure the door was tightly shut before she continued.

"What's up?"

"I found the expenses sheet for the _North Dawn. _Everything was normal until the very bottom. There was a personnel cost at $10M, also converted to Canadian Dollars. I couldn't work out what the hell it was until I realised just _why _it had been converted. Gratuit Q, they're from Canada and they were the terrorists on the ship."

"Someone hired them?"

"Something like that- hired or maybe bought off, I don't know. Anyway, so, I did a little digging. The actual link to it was classified to Alpha Level. That's not normal, it's usually for accounts, but not even they would be able to access it. The only ones with Alpha Level are Fury and Pierce, not even Commander Hill or Uncle Phil are that high up. There was a code with it though, the usual seven digit expenses number. I searched for it and it came up with one name- Franklin Delano."

"Like President Roosevelt?" Steve raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, just missing the obvious surname. Whoever he is, he's a ghost. There is NOTHING on him, not even in the deceased or former category. I thought I'd hit a dead end before I remembered one person who knows everyone here- Natasha. When I found her, she explained to me that high level agents use pseudonyms when they're transferring money into something that's not technically on the books. It's never the same one, even for the same person. They'll use famous names- like FDR, stuff that can't be linked to anyone. Whoever it is, they're basically top of the pack. It could be a lot of people- it's not a large list, but it's not a small one either. If we find whoever it is, then we are going to solve this investigation."

"We find them, we find out why this is happening," Steve nodded, "Ok, so how do we find who Franklin Delano is?"

"That's where I've drawn a blank. It's not like we can go asking round the top brass-'oh hey, were you using the name of a long dead President to funnel money into a terrorist group that held SHIELD personnel hostage?' We wouldn't only look like idiots, but we'd also be sending off warning signals to whoever did this. There's no way to do this quietly, or even at all."

"Wait a second."

Steve stood up, Emily looking confused at him.

"I remember listening to the radio at FDR's inauguration when I was fourteen. There was that famous quote he did: 'the only thing we have to fear-ʺ

"-Is fear itself," Emily finished, "Yeah, that's like one of the most famous Presidential quotes of all time. Everybody knows it."

"Do you know who likes to quote it before missions?"

Emily looked at him blankly.

"Rumlow."

"Rumlow?"

"Rumlow," Steve confirmed, "Says it all the time. What's more, he was there. He can't have known that STRIKE would have needed to be there unless he _knew _in advance that they would be needed. Rumlow had heard of him, Sartre, said he even admired the guy. That was supposed to be a training exercise. There was no indication as to what was to happen- unless he'd already planned it."

"He didn't seem too bothered that I'd killed Sartre either. We all wanted him alive, you said it yourself that they'd have preferred him breathing at the end of the day. A guy like Rumlow usually would take great pride in dragging such a wanted criminal in. Hell, he didn't even seem upset that I managed to kill Sartre instead of him. You know, now that I think about it, Secretary Pierce didn't seem too bothered either. He was oddly...Zen about it. Why would that be?"

"Rumlow is a Level 8 like me. Pierce is higher; he could have all the more reason to do it. If he wanted to cover his tracks, he could use Rumlow. How can we even be sure that Rumlow is Delano anyway? It's more obvious if he uses that name."

"I didn't know that he uses that quote before missions, perhaps only a small amount of agents would know. Besides, Rumlow may be smart, but he is the most arrogant person ever. He also probably wouldn't put too much thought into something like this."

"Ok, but we need proof."

"That, I can't give you."

"Wait a second- Rumlow has a little FDR bobble head in his locker. He has something written on the bottom of it, in felt tip pen. Could that be something?"

"Yeah, definitely. Could you get into his locker?"

"Shouldn't be a problem. They're usually quiet at this time, the locker rooms. If you wait outside, you can keep watch and warn me if anyone's coming."

"You are brilliant," Emily leaned up, cupping his cheeks as she kissed him.

"Well I don't know about that," Steve blushed, "Come on; let's finish this once and for all."

Emily took Steve's hand, following him to the locker room. He checked quickly before popping his head out, indicating that he was alone, before dashing back inside. Emily whistled to herself, pretending she was doing something important on her phone. Casually nodding at those walking past, she prayed this would work.

After a few minutes, Steve reappeared.

"What was the number? The expenses number?"

"_8742398."_

Steve held his phone up- at the bottom of the FDR bobble head was that exact number.

"Holy crap," Emily breathed out, "Rumlow is behind this?"

"Behind this, mastermind, follower, I don't know, but he paid $10M to terrorists."

"Rumlow can't be worth that much, surely?"

"Unless he's secretly rich or won the lottery, I'm guessing not. If he embezzled it, there'd be a paper trail. Someone must have given it to him. Wait a second. You said it was Alpha locked, right? Secretary Pierce has been in charge since Fury went off to Europe. I've seen a picture of his house in Italy, there's no way he's not a millionaire. I could be completely wrong, but it makes sense. I just don't trust the guy."

"Well I thought that too, but Fury trusts him, so I though he can't be all bad. Yeah he gave me a creepy vibe at the interview, but no one in this agency is normal. Maybe he's being used?"

"Or maybe he's not as innocent as he seems."

"Well I don't know how we could alert anyone high up. Pierce is in charge. Fury and Hill are both in Europe. There's the World Security Council, but I doubt they'd listen. They were the ones who wanted to nuke Manhattan after all."

Before anybody could go any further, an alarm came screeching from the speakers.

"SECURITY BREACH, SECURITY BREACH! ALL PERSONNEL TO THE OPEN OFFICE SPACE, WHERE YOU WILL BE SPOKEN TO BY YOUR GROUP LEADER. PROCEED IMMEDIATELY!"

After a sharp screech, the transmission ended.

"Group leaders are speaking, not Pierce," Emily stated quietly.

They headed towards the open office space, following the crowds streaming into the area. Their flow was slow until Steve grabbed Emily's arm, nodding at the other side of the room. Rumlow was striding the other way, looking purposeful.

That direction headed to Pierce's office.

Slipping out of the group, they ducked down until they arrived at the elevator doors that led up to the Director's office.

"Go find your uncle or Natasha or someone with say, tell them what's happened. I've sent you the photo, for proof. Whatever happens, I love you."

"There's no way in hell I'm leaving you alone to deal with this. We're in this together, whether it's good or bad. What they possibly did could have killed you; I'm not letting this slide. If you don't let me onto the elevator, I'll find a way up. We're doing this like we always do, as a team."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They joined hands as the elevator doors opened, stepping into an uncertain future.

**Hi all, hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the wait, I hope it was worth it.**

**Next Time: Alone against the enemy, Steve and Emily must not only fight for the truth, but for the chance to leave the room alive.**

**PLEASE review to let me know what you think, feedback is more important than ever as the story arrives at the final curve. Also, if you like Glee and Vampire Diaries, check out my other stories.**

**Thanks again, can't wait to see you all again next time xxx**


	26. Chapter 26

**DISCLAIMED**

**Thanks for the support so far, don't forget to review xxx**

**Chapter 26**

The elevator opened up into Pierce's office.

Steve went first, shield tightened on his arm, his gun poking over. He'd put himself right in front of Emily, his shield and thicker frame basically hiding her behind him. Emily had her finger on the trigger, moving away slightly as they stepped out of the elevator. Steve put his arm out in front of her to steady her behind him, but Emily still sidestepped him. He may be protective of her, but now really wasn't the time.

Pierce, Sitwell and Rumlow were gathered around the desk, each regarding the couple with a complete lack of surprise.

"You figured it out," Pierce observed, "I have to say, I'm impressed. I thought we'd covered our tracks well, but you somehow worked it out. It's a shame Rumlow had the sense to bug his locker. Here I was, thinking he was paranoid, but he was right. Quite a shock when golden boy Rogers went snooping in- I thought nothing would happen after you looked at the accounts, Collins. Well, I gotta give you a round of applause. Guess your brain cells didn't die off in the ice."

Steve gritted his teeth, sharpening his aim.

"Well if Rumlow hadn't have been such an arrogant piece of shit with his naming decision, maybe you'd be sitting pretty right now," Emily shrugged.

"Bitch."

"Ooh, never heard that one before," Emily shot back, "What the hell is your play anyway? I can't imagine any of you are hardcore Québécois separatists."

"Convenience," Pierce circled his desk, going up front, "See none of us were hugely comfortable with neo-Nazis or Islamists, not really someone we'd want to ally with, even if we had the power. Not really our crowd. Besides, they probably wouldn't work with us anyway. Now, Gratuit Q haven't really caused any major waves- no big scandals, apart from being a terrorist network. They would be easy to pacify, they didn't ask for much. You actually did us a huge favour Collins by killing Sartre; I was worried he'd get too cocky and blab. Fortunately, all the loose ends were tied up. I think we can tell you that we were setting Rogers up to take the fall. A federal penitentiary and loss of status for a great hero. You'd get in our way."

"You see Rogers," Rumlow swaggered across the room, "You're not too big into government intervention- regime change, close monitoring, PATRIOT Act, wiretapping or anything like that. For you, we should just let people be free and when it's law enforcement, just follow the law without letting that freedom slide. SHIELD has become far too focussed on that good as opposed to gaining power on the level that the CIA and FBI have. We want power."

"So you want to be authoritarian powers?"

"We're not picky about who we take down. It's not a Neocon thing, about taking out dictators. We will take down our own politicians in either party, hell, any party across the world. We want SHIELD to dominate the world, to put the fear of God into everyone. Fury is slipping. He may do some murky things, but not enough to actually do something. The FBI and CIA hold the President's ear, but he still treats SHIELD like a clean-up service after aliens. We are stronger and more advanced, or at least we could be, but we are being held back. We knew that Rogers is our most powerful threat. Not even Romanoff or Barton could stop us- and they have done some very bad things in the past. We thought that Collins would fall after we sent Rogers away for life, but I guess that could still happen."

Both Rumlow and Pierce were practically gleeful.

"You know that in James Bond movies, the villain will tell 007 their plot before they attempt to kill him, but it never works," Emily informed them, "Why are you telling us this?"

"Is everything a movie reference with you?" Rumlow rolled his eyes, "Because when this is all said and done, everyone will blame it all on you."

"You have no proof," Steve defended.

"We don't need proof for that, but there is something else," Sitwell finally spoke, standing up, "This will be your downfall."

He turned on the monitor to show the open office space where they'd called everyone to gather. Every SHIELD worker was unconscious on the floor, some slumped over each other. There was practically no space between them; one would have to tiptoe/hop to get between them. Though their mouths were open, every pair of eyes was closed shut. Whatever it was, it was bad.

"Just a little knockout gas, to answer your question," Sitwell went into faux-professor mode, "Won't kill them, but they'll feel pretty rough for a few hours after they wake up. It's clear that Captain Rogers and Agent Collins didn't want anyone to learn their plan or stop them. Everyone outside of this room is out of action. You maybe should have gone with them; you might have had a shot then."

"Do you really think anyone is stupid enough to believe we'd want to do this to anyone, least of all our friends?" Steve snapped, "No one on this earth would think Emily would ever harm Agent Coulson. You're insane if you think this will work."

"Au contraire," Sitwell smirked, "They'll all just think that the power went to your head. Captain America wanted to rule the world with his little queen by his side. Agent Coulson would try to appeal to his niece's better nature. That little Uncle Phil shtick won't fly anymore."

"He'll know, Uncle Phil will know. Not just him, other people will know. Steve knows how much I love him, but even he knows that my Uncle Phil is my #1 person."

"Then he'll have to die," Sitwell told her, "It's a shame, he's a good man, I like him. I mean, he's a little bit righteous and he never shuts up about you, but I like him."

"I'll trade myself."

"Pardon?" Pierce looked at her, slightly amused.

"You do what you want to me but you let my uncle go. You get him out of that room and give him whatever antidote, then leave him the hell alone. You don't touch him. I'll do whatever, if I can save him. If I can, I want Natalie, Aaron, Natasha and Clint safe too. Just please don't touch my uncle, I'll do anything."

"No, don't, I'll do it," Steve jumped in, "Leave them alone at least and let Emily go. Your issue is with me, so keep it with me. Seriously, I will do what you want, Emily can go."

"Your little display of loyalty would be cute if it wasn't so sickening," Pierce mocked, "No, I need them as leverage to make sure you don't do anything stupid. I can easily deploy something that _will _be lethal to your friends. As for Collins-I need to make sure you don't do anything rash, Rogers. If you try anything, I will have Rumlow shoot your girl in the stomach. It will kill her, but it will be slow and painful. You'll have to watch her bleed out in your arms."

Steve recoiled, pushing Emily behind him.

"It's just as adorable as when you were in your hospital bed," Pierce continued, still mocking.

"That was you," Steve's eyes narrowed.

"In our defence, we didn't mean to hospitalise you Collins. The toxiodine was just to make you a little paranoid and scare you. We had you followed, but we found the toxiodine was more effective so we pulled out guy. The side effects were just there to make you feel somewhat out of sync. Once you had it out of you, we decided pumping more would just raise suspicions. Did it work?"

"A treat," Emily replied through gritted teeth, "The _North Dawn, _was I meant to be hurt?"

"We were aiming to kill you or at least injure you. Killing you would break Rogers, but injuring you was probably a more realistic goal. Enough with the chit chat. We need to keep you here just long enough for wake up time. We should have tied you up or something Collins, get you in earlier. That would keep Rogers in line. It's a shame we have to keep in this standoff, but it's for a greater cause."

Emily suddenly eyed something on the desk- it was something that was being used to keep the gas flowing in the open office space. If they could destroy that, then at least their friends and co-workers would be safe.

If they could freak the men out enough, they could stop them. One way or another, they'd prove their innocence.

"Do you trust me?" she whispered into Steve's shoulders.

"Of course," he still had his shield in front of her as opposed to him, "What do you have in mind?"

"Don't look at it, but there's something on the desk that I think could control the gas. If we get rid of that and scatter them, even just for a few seconds, we might have a chance at getting out of here."

"If I throw the shield, it puts you in danger."

"The table there can withstand bullets. If I duck behind that, it gives us time. Can you do it?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

They looked at one another, knowing they didn't have to say a word to one another to convey what they felt. Emily whispered a countdown and when she was done, it was set.

With all the might he could, he threw the shield right at the control. In what was a matter of seconds, the shield shot across the room, hit the controller and went straight back onto Steve's arm. The monitor had turned off so they didn't know if it had worked, but the look on Sitwell's face indicated it had. The shield had already returned to Steve by the time they'd clocked what was going on, so the shooting started late.

Emily barrel rolled behind the table, sending several bullets at the men. They finally shot back, even though Emily was well protected by the table and Steve by his shield. Steve edged towards the table, throwing his shield one last time at the controller so that it was definitely broken, jumping back out when his weapon returned.

As Sitwell fired back, Pierce climbed across the floor to grab at something. Rumlow, however, did something else entirely. He pulled a briefcase from under the desk and made a run for the back staircase, obviously wanting to get whatever it was out of there.

"I'm on it!" Emily called.

Steve passed her the shield. Emily held it up against her as she ran, zig sagging to avoid the bullets. As soon as she was near the door, she threw it back to Steve, who caught it in mid air. Emily didn't even acknowledge the transaction; too busy focusing on getting Rumlow.

She tore the door open, running as fast as she could down those steps. The bullets were already flying from Rumlow's gun, whizzing past her head, coming as close as they could without actually hitting her. Emily ducked and dived as she descended the steps, checking every so often that Rumlow wasn't at the bottom.

"Come and get me Collins!"

God she hated him.

"You think you're all that because you're Phil Coulson's niece and you're screwing Captain America. Look at Emily Collins with all her little Avenger friends. You're not as good as you think you are- you're just riding off other people's coattails. Now everyone is going to think you're a power hungry bitch who wants to rule the world. You will lose EVERYTHING and I will enjoy watching you fall. The rest of your days will be spent in a federal prison and you'll never get to touch your precious boyfriend ever again. I cannot imagine the other women will like a stuck up Ivy League graduate being around them."

Emily continued stalking down the stairs.

"I can't wait to see your uncle's face when he finds out- that's if we don't have to kill him first."

There was an opening.

If Emily could climb down that without falling to her death, she could get ahead of Rumlow. It was a risky path, but she had to do it for the people she loved. Steve was in there, her Steve. They would hurt him and her uncle and everyone else. Emily was not about to let the man she loved get locked up and never have to see him again.

Especially if Brock Rumlow was behind this.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted one leg over the railings, gripping on tightly. Gun on hip, she lowered herself downwards, remembering every piece of the free climbing training. Emily thought that this part of training would be reserved for going down cliffs in the middle of Europe, not climbing down the stairs of The Bunk. Still, she had to do what she had to do.

There were several times when she thought she was about to lose her footing, but she remained steady against them. Luckily, there was a pipe she could use to slide down- it could give her the advantage. Taking a slight jump, she managed to slide down as far as she could until Rumlow was unknowingly in her sights.

Managing to get to the bottom of the stairs, she purposefully created a loud thud by jumping up and down as far as she could. This sparked Rumlow's attention, who looked confusedly up at the spot- he could see no one there.

Just as he was about to turn away, Emily struck.

"Hey!"

Before Rumlow could even open his mouth, Emily sent a bullet straight into his throat.

"That was for me."

_Bang- _into the stomach

"That was for my uncle and my friends."

_Bang- _into the head

"And that was for Steve."

Rumlow could only manage to gargle some blood as he fell to the ground, dead before he hit it. Emily checked for a pulse and breathing anyway, and after finding none, grabbed his weapon. Taking the briefcase to the side, Emily opened it up.

Upstairs, Steve was doing a battle of his own.

Sitwell had been an easy kill. One aim of Steve's gun and the agent lay dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood, a single headshot taking him down.

The issue was Pierce- the man was good.

He had some kind of gun that Steve had never seen before, a large thing that looked like Chitauri weaponry. Hidden behind some kind of force field that he'd activated for protection, it was clear that Pierce was ready to wait him out.

All Steve needed to do was figure out how to deactivate the field. Pierce continued to get the knockout gas to work again, but seemed to be having trouble now Sitwell was dead on the floor and Steve had broken whatever mechanism was needed. He fiddled around with all the sticks and pushed all the buttons, but failed.

"DAMN IT!" Pierce slammed his fists against the table.

"I thought I was slow with technology, but you're really behind the times Mr. Secretary."

"You won't be laughing when I put a bullet in your girlfriend's skull."

"I have to say, I never trusted you. Emily did, but I never did. She said if Fury trusted you, then she did. Maybe I was being paranoid, but turns out I was right. You turned down the Nobel Peace Prize and whilst you thought it made you look, well, noble, it just showed who you really are. It was all just to prove that you could. You wouldn't be a laureate, but you'd be the man who said no one deserved awards for doing the right thing."

"A noble speech for someone about to die."

"With all due respect, Mr. Secretary, I don't think God is going to call me home tonight. He certainly won't be calling Emily, that's for sure."

"We'll see, Rogers. This shield will hold. I can wait."

He smirked before looking back down at the panel.

Steve looked around the room, wondering how on earth he could wait Pierce out. He had to get that shield down so that he could finish Pierce off. Emily had been a while and he was worried that something had happened- unfortunately, he couldn't afford to worry.

Damn Fury, he had to hide everything in his office.

He'd have to take the power out, even temporarily. Steve knew the power in Fury's office ran independently from the rest of the building, just in case of any attacks or outrages. Unfortunately for Steve, he had no idea where the power came from.

If he could angle himself correctly, he could knock Pierce away just long enough to take the force field down. Pierce's head wasn't in the right place, but he could knock his body just far enough if he used the right strength.

Mentally using trigonometry and physics, Steve moved himself slightly while Pierce was distracted. Just as Pierce looked back up, Steve threw his shield. It bounced against a potted plant then flew across the room. Pierce wasn't quick enough to move out of the way, so it hit him straight in the middle and sent him flying. Steve jumped up, caught it, and ran to the desk.

There was no indication on the desk of how to take the field down. Frustrated, Steve reached out and pulled down on the interface. To his surprise, it worked.

Pierce crawled towards the Chitauri weapon, but Steve was quicker. Just as Pierce raised his gun, Steve sent a shot straight into his chest.

Dropping the weapon, Pierce clutched his chest and fell backward.

"You son of a bitch..." he spluttered, reaching for the weapon again.

"I've never liked bullies, it doesn't matter where they came from," Steve fired his weapon again; "You shouldn't have messed with me or my girl."

The second bullet hit Pierce in the middle of his skull, instantly killing him.

_Thank God_

Steve didn't even celebrate the victory. Hearing the door leading to the stairs open again, he was ready for anything. As soon as he saw a bedraggled Emily walking in, he felt the biggest relief of his life.

Emily rushed over, dropping the briefcase. Steve caught her, the two immediately kissing passionately in the middle of the office.

"We did it Em."

"We did."

He picked her up, spinning her around. She laughed outrageously and when he put her down, they passionately kissed once again.

"What's in the case?"

"More of that knockout gas, at least that's what it's labelled as."

"What if they have stuff on us?"

"That's why I had this attached to me," Emily lifted her shirt to show a listening device taped to her skin.

She grinned deviously.

"You never cease to surprise me."

The elevator dinged again, the two turning around and pointing their weapons perfectly in sync. The doors opened to reveal Fury and Hill.

"I have never been happier to see you in my life," Emily stated, a tired smile appearing on her face.

"I have that affect on people, Collins," Fury headed over, "We just arrived back and found everyone knocked out. I called Dr. Banner out; he's brought an antidote fresh from Stark Tower. Everyone is back up. There's a bit of vomiting and headaches, but that should clear up."

"My uncle?"

"Is fine," Hill told her.

"Thank God," Emily exhaled.

"So, you want to tell me what happened here?" Fury nodded at Sitwell and Pierce's bodies.

"Rumlow is dead down the stairwell too, courtesy of Em," Steve put an arm around his girlfriend's waist, pulling her closer to him, "Turns out the three of them were trying to take over SHIELD so they could be some kind of evil shadowy superpower and were trying to pin the blame on me regarding the stolen data from _North Dawn. _Em's got it all recorded. I assume there are all sorts of cameras and bugs around this office."

"Of course. Pierce might have dismantled a lot of them, but there are ones that I only I know about."

"Good," Steve nodded as Emily handed the listening device over.

"Thank you Collins. I will call a cleanup crew then listen to this. Look, I'd normally get you to debrief right now but you two have had a long day, so you go home and relax. First thing tomorrow, we'll go through this and yes, we will have to work with the World Security Council. They'll pitch a fit when they find out that Pierce is dead."

"From the losers that wanted to nuke New York?" Emily deadpanned, "Cry me a river."

Fury chuckled.

"Everyone is downstairs in the office space; Dr. Banner will stay until the side effects have worn off in a couple of hours. Tomorrow, 9:00 in my office. You'll have to clear the day. Now, go check on your friends."

They didn't need to be told twice. Bidding a goodbye, they headed down the elevator in a shocked silence.

"I can't believe we did that."

"Neither can I," Steve agreed, "But it's over."

"It's over," Emily repeated, "Hey; we make a pretty good team."

"That we do," Steve took her hands, pulling her over, "Whatever comes next, we'll be doing it together."

"I love you so damn much."

"I love you too sunshine, I love you too," Steve laughed before they kissed again.

**Hi all hope you enjoyed it! Only three chapters left.**

**Next Time: SHIELD tries to process what happened, while Emily gets a happy, if hugely unexpected, surprise.**

**Thanks again, don't forget to review as we wind down and I will see you next time xxx**


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